Buffy Summers Occupation Savior
by Kitkat5979
Summary: After the battle with the first evil Faith decides that Buffy needs to actually have a life that does not revolve around death and violence so helps her start over. However trouble seems to follow Buffy when a young boy shows up on her doorstep and drags her back into the supernatural.
1. Prologue

A/N: Hey guys this is my new story hope you like it please give me reviews so I know if I should continue. I recently read another piece of fanfiction which really pushed me to try and make this story work so let's hope it does.

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or Once upon A Time. Which makes me very sad.

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They had done it they had beaten the First evil as Buffy stood there in front of the crater previously know as the town Sunnydale she smiled, she was finally free. Almost eight years of hell, that was what her life had been. She had died twice or three times, if you count her getting shot and flat lining on the operation table. She had been torn from her peace and dropped in a coffin six feet underground and then clawed her way out of her own grave. She had been expected to bounce back and act just the way she had before she died but she couldn't and her friends just did not understand that. Not even a week after coming back they had told her they had spent all her money and that she had to get a job to support them, Willow had been living in the house with Tara and Dawn and had not gotten a job but just lived off Buffy's money. People she had called her friends for years had decided they could no longer trust her, her sister, the sister she jumped off the top of a tower to make sure would live, had kicked her out of her own house. All of them did. They had kicked her out of the house that she owned sending her out by herself. Even when she came back and had saved their asses she had not received an apology from anyone, including her best friends or her sister, they had just expected her to get over it. But she couldn't. At least not right away, she had given up so much for these people, for the world, more then they could possible know and now it was time she finally got to rest.

They drove for several hours until they ended up at the Hyperion hotel in L.A. it was abandoned but there were still some medical supplies from when Angel investigation was there, before Angel decided to try and destroy Wolfram and Heart from the inside. While everyone was tending to there own wounds Buffy grabbed some disinfectant, some gauze and a needle and thread and headed upstairs to one of the rooms. Faith saw Buffy go off by herself, she had seen Buffy get run through with a sword during the fight and was surprised the blonde had not passed out due to blood loss yet. When no one went to follow her Faith got up wanting to help her sister slayer. When she found Buffy she was holding a bottle of whiskey, which she must have found in the room. Buffy who had heard Faith enter the room looked up at her "Hey are you just going to stand there, or are gonna help a girl out" Faith chuckled and went to sit next to the blonde, it was when Buffy raised her shirt that Faith saw how bad the injury actually was "holy shit B. Why didn't ya say anything. Wait how in the hell were you jumping across buildings with a wound like this" Buffy just shrugged while she uncapped to bottle of whiskey "I guess I'm just better at surviving a knife wound to the gut then you are, plus there were most important things happening" Buffy joked as she took a swig of the whiskey making a disgusted face afterwards, Faith watches her friend and just laughs "damn B that hurt, you wounded my heart" Faith replies in a sarcastic manner. Faith grabs the bottle of disinfectant and starts to clean up Buffy's wound; she then starts to close the wound with the needle and thread.

After Buffy is all bandaged up she thanks Faith who simply nods taking the whiskey out of Buffy's hand and takes a swing. Another bottle of whiskey later and Faith learns several things about the blonde slayer: one she has a really low tolerance for alcohol, two the girl had literally given up everything to keep the world. The blonde so full of booze, spills a secret one that no one else knows, not even her mother had know. Neither did her sister or the scoobies. It turns out that Buffy had a kid! That's right before she came to Sunnydale.

Buffy was two months pregnant when she was called as the slayer, when her watcher Merrick found out he had a witch Lena hide the pregnancy with magic and use a protection spell on Buffy to keep her and the baby safe. She had gone into labor when she was arrested for burning down the school gym. The witch who had helped Merrick before he was killed went to where Buffy was being kept and used her powers to get the guards to let Buffy out for several hours and then got her a medical team to deliver the baby. Once he was born Lena made everyone at the hospital forget that they had ever been there. Merrick had earlier convinced Buffy that it was in the child's best interest that she give him up for adoption, as being the son of a slayer will paint a target on his back and when she dies he would be in even more danger. Lena looked sadly at the teenage girl who was crying as she watched her son be taken away from her. Lena had told the nurse to make sure he ends up in a good home. Once the boy was taken care of Lena had come back using magic she fixed Buffy up so that she looked as though she had never been pregnant, she then took her back to her jail, she used her powers again on the guards to make them forget all about Buffy's departure and think that she had been there the whole time. Lena told Buffy to go one with her life and wished her luck as the slayer and then she disappeared in a puff of smoke. And that was exactly what Buffy had done she tried to go on and pretend that none of it had happened. But she could never completely forget.

After hearing this story Faith learned one more thing about Buffy, after everything she has lost and been through, she always puts others first no matter, no matter how they treat her, she will drop everything to come and save them. Hell, the girl had died for them, for the world and technically when she died the first time and a new slayer was called it was no longer her job but she still went out and did the job because she knew it was the right thing to do. Faith had never realized how bad Buffy actually had it. It was in that moment that Faith decided that she wanted to help Buffy, Buffy had given her a second chance and now it was Buffy's turn, Buffy deserves to be free from all the violence and actually have real options for once in her life. After Buffy had fallen asleep Faith started to think up a plan to help Buffy start a new life. Starting over as someone new was easy enough, Faith had done it a hundred times however the problem lies mainly with the scoobies. They are not just going to let their strongest and most experienced slayer go now even if they now have hundreds, no they will try to get her to stay guilting her into giving up more of her life, and if she did take off, they would just have red-headed witch track her down with some magic. Faith was screwed, how was supposed to get B out with red around. An idea came to her. Angel. The man loves Buffy and would do anything to help her at least that's what Faith hoped. It turns out that she was right after filling Angel in on everything from Buffy's kid to the scoobies kicking her out of the house he had agreed to help.

Faith waited till everyone was asleep and then woke the rather hangover Buffy, who was not so happy with having water thrown in her face. After telling Buffy what she wanted to do Buffy's first reaction was "what about everyone else, what about Dawn I can't just abandon them". Faith got slightly pissed off by how selfless the slayer acted and yelled at her reminding her of everything that she had lost and everything that she had done for them "B, you have done enough, hell you have done more than enough you deserve to actually be happy and have control over your life for once. Don't worry about the others I will explain everything to them, after I yell at them for a bit. And about the littlest Summers, look she may be your sister but after everything you did for her she made it very clear when she kicked you out, that she thinks she does not need you. She's wrong; they all need you but for once think about what you need. I promise I will keep an eye on all of them." Buffy stared at Faith shocked, she could not believe of all people that Faith was the one who had done this for her so after a moment of thought Buffy nodded Faith was right she deserved to have a life that doesn't revolve around death and violence for once. Faith smiled grabbing a bag from the corner of the room then the two of them snuck out to get to the meeting place where Angel would be waiting.

Angel stood outside Caritas waiting for Buffy and Faith, after everything that Faith had told him he knew he had to help Buffy. After getting over his slight anger of Faith's part in Buffy getting kicked out, which Faith promises she regrets, he used his resources to make sure Buffy could start a new life he had gotten her a new identity with all the correct paper work he had even gotten her paperwork which would allow her to get through any airport without having to go through security so that she could still carry her weapons with her if she needed. He had also found a very powerful warlock who was able to put do a spell, which would prevent any location spells being used to locate her. Lastly he had gotten together around 20,000 dollars to help Buffy start over.

He saw Faith and Buffy walking towards him and gave them both a hug and kissed the top of Buffy's head. Buffy smiled at him "Thank you for everything Angel you really didn't have to do this." Angel looked deep into her green eyes his own eyes filling with water

"Yes, I did after everything you have been through it's the least I could do. Make me one promise though, if you ever feel like you are finished baking and are cookies give me a call." Buffy laughed cursing that stupid cookie analogy she had come up with and wished it had been something else. The cab that Angel had called earlier to take Buffy to the airport pulled up next to them. Angel handed Buffy the bag full with everything she would need, then Buffy gave Angel a small kiss before turning to Faith and hugging her Faith hugged her back "B, man contact me to let me know your alright, Angel put some contact numbers in that goody bag of yours." Faith smiled at the blonde and actually had tears in her eyes "B, I'm so sorry for what happened with the scoobies and my part in it I—" Buffy interrupted Faith she too also had tears in her eyes "Faith as far as I'm concerned we are how do you say it, Five By Five" Faith laughed "yeah we five by five... plus we are also hot chicks with superpowers which is just awesome" "ohh before I forget I got you a little going away present" Faith handed Buffy the bag that she had grabbed when they were leaving the hotel. Buffy confused opened the bag and inside was the Scythe "Faith I can't take this, what if you guys need it" She tried to give it back to Faith but Faith just shook her head.

"B, you are going off on your own while I now have my own little army of super strong brats. Take it just in case you get in trouble or incase you want to kill some vamps just for the fun of it" Buffy laughed "Plus it is yours, you pulled a King Arthur and pulled the thing out of the freaking stone when no one else could, so it's yours".

Faith pushed the bag with the scythe into Buffy's hands. Faith and Angel then pushed Buffy into the cab and it drove off. Buffy looked back at the them both and waved goodbye as she headed for the airport. She placed the bag Faith gave her on the seat and opened the bag Angel gave her. Inside was a plane ticket to Tallahassee and a bunch of other things. She sorted through everything till she found a passport with her new identity. Emma Swan. That would work. It seems for the time being Buffy would be Emma Swan at least for now.


	2. Pilot - Part 1

_Once upon a time..._

 _There was an enchanted forest filled with all the classic characters we know._

 _Or think we know._

 _One day they found themselves trapped in a place where all their happy endings were stolen._

 _Our World._

 _This is how it happened..._

A young man rode on his horse through the forest, when he finally gets to his destination he dismounts the horse and run towards 7 small men who surround a glass coffin while it snows around them. One of the men sees the man "You're too late." He steps to the side to reveal a woman with dark hair wearing a white dress, who lies inside the coffin. "No" the young man whispers and makes his way towards the coffin "No!" he repeats only this time he is shouting it. He stares at the beautiful women in the coffin "open it"

One of the men standing behind the coffin looks up at the man "I'm sorry. She's gone." The man looks up, his face sad and heartbroken with tears falling from his eyes. "At least let me say good-bye." He begs, the seven men nod and slowly lifts the top off the coffin. The man drops down on his knees in front of the young women and places a soft kiss on her lips, as he does a pulse is released; then there is a gasp and the women is alive. The man smiles he is overjoyed, the women sees him and smiles "You. You found me." She places her hand on the mans check smiling as he runs his fingers through her hair "Did you ever doubt I would" he asks her as he helps her sit up. "Truthfully... The glass coffin gave me pause."

"Well, you never have to worry. I will always find you."

"Do you promise?"

"I do." She smiles again they have found each other like they always have and always will.

Some time later the man known as Prince Charming smiles at the young women who he knows as Snow White as he says "I do."

The minister smiles before looking at Snow "And do you, Snow White, promise to take this man to be your husband and love him for all eternity?"

Snow smiles at charming "I do."

The minister looks at them both "I now pronounce you husband and wife." The crowd around them cheers, it seems as if the entire kingdom has shown up for their wedding. As the two newlyweds lean in to kiss the entrance doors slam open, everyone turns to face to door, the crowd all gasp in fear as standing there is The Evil Queen "Sorry I'm late" she says looking directly at Snow. She makes her way towards the couple, two guards try to stop her however the Queen merely waves her hand causing the two to fly to opposite ends of the room. One of the dwarfs knows as Doc moves towards the couple "It's the Queen. Run!" Snow merely shakes her head and takes her husbands sword pointing it at the Queen. "She's not a queen anymore. She's nothing more than an evil witch" Queen smirks evilly at Snow while Charming places his hand on hers causing her to lower the blade "No, No, No. Don't stoop to her level. There's no need." "You're wasting your time" he says looking at the Queen "You've already lost, and I will not let you ruin this wedding."

The Queen looks at the prince "Oh, I haven't come here to ruin anything. On the contrary, dear. I've come to give you a gift."

"We want nothing from you" Yells Snow as she clutches her new husband's arm.

"But you shall have it. My gift to you..." The Queen continues as she turns looking at the people of the kingdom before turning back to Snow and Charming "Is this happy, happy day. For tomorrow my real work begins. You've made your vows. Now I make mine. Soon everything you love, everything all of you love will be taken from you forever, and out of your suffering will rise my victory." The Queen looks at Snow White with hate in her eyes and in a vicious manner makes her vow to Snow "I shall destroy your happiness, if it is the last thing I do." The queen turns her back on the two of them and makes her way out but before she can the Prince yells "HEY!" The Queen turns back to face him but as she does he hurls his sword at her, she merely smiles and disappears in a puff of smoke.

On a bus heading towards Boston a young boy who was smartly dressed is reading a large book full of fairytales "That a good book?" the woman sitting opposite asks him. The boy looks at her and smiles "This? It's more than just a book." Before she can respond a voice come over the P.A. announcing that they have arrived at Boston South Station. The boy gets off the bus and heads towards a taxi he knocks on the car window and the driver hangs up his phone and looks at the boy as he lowers the window. "Uh, you take credit cards?" The young boy asks showing the driver the card in his hand the driver nods "Where to, chief?"

On the other side of town in a fancy restaurant Buffy Summers now known as Emma Swan walks out of the elevator in a tight black dress with her long blonde curls hanging past her shoulders she walks around the restaurant looking around for her date, then a handsome man stands she walks towards him "Emma?" he asks as he holds out his hand for her to shake "Ryan?" he nods and smiles brightly "You look relieved."

"Uh, well, it is the internet." He responds as he pulls out Buffy's chair so she can sit down "pictures can be—"

"Fake, outdated, stolen from a Victoria's Secret catalog." The both laugh "Exactly" Ryan says as he sits down.

"Sooo..." Buffy says acting very nervous.

"So... Um, tell me something about yourself, Emma."

"Oh, uh, well... today's my birthday."

"And you're spending it with me? What about your friends"

Buffy just shrugs "Kind of a loner."

"And ...you don't like your family?"

"No family to like."

"Oh, come on. Everyone has a family."

"Technically, yeah, but my only family kind of, lets say disowned me... Ready to run yet?"

Ryan merely chuckles "Oh, not a chance. You, Emma, are, by far, The sexist friendless loner that I have ever met"

Buffy laughs at his response "Okay. Your turn. No wait. Let me guess. Um, you are handsome, charming... "

"Go on."

"The kind of guy who— and now stop me if I get this wrong—embezzled from your employer, got arrested, and skipped town before they were able to throw your ass in jail."

Ryan chuckles nervously "what?"

Buffy just carries on like he hadn't spoken "And the worst part of all of this is your wife. Your wife loves you so much that she bailed you out, and how do you repay that loyalty? You're on a date."

"Who are you?"

"The chick who put up the rest of the money."

"Your a bail bondsman."

"Depends on the day and, I prefer bail bondsperson."

Ryan hoping to distract Buffy knocks the table over and tries to run but Buffy merely grabs his arm twisting it around his back bending it causing him to cry out, he elbows her stomach where she still had a healing wound with his other arm causing Buffy to let go of him, he makes a run for it. Buffy sighs then looks at her dress "Really?" she says to herself "This is why I can't have nice things" Buffy walks after Ryan calmly knowing he can't get anywhere in his car she had blown the back tires of his car just in case. As she got outside she could see Ryan dodging traffic trying to get to his car in hopes of escaping. Buffy crossed the road completely ignoring the cars as they almost crashed into her and walked up to Ryan who was sitting in the front seat staring the tires.

He then noticed Buffy "Look, you don't have to do this, okay?" he begged " I can pay you. I've got money."

"No, you don't, and if you did, you should give it to your wife to take care of your family."

"What the hell do you know about family, huh?" That pissed Buffy off so instead of responding she merely grabbed him by the head and slammed his face into the steering wheel knocking him unconscious. She looked at him before sighing "nothing, anymore."

Buffy dropped off Ryan at the station and got her pay, while on her way back to her apartment Buffy got jumped by two Skilosh Demons, which is some creepy looking demon that has an eye on the back of it's head. She quickly killed them both, ripping a pipe off the nearby wall and stabbing them both. After that, she stopped by a bakery and picked herself up a cupcake. Buffy rarely celebrated her birthday, after the years of having only birthday's that end with someone always almost dying, she had given up and now every year has a simple cupcake but nothing else.

When she got back to her apartment she took off her heels, which were killing her feet and placed her bag on the counter. She had lived in this apartment for about 6 months, it's the longest she had stayed anywhere since Tallahassee, she had liked it there and had stayed for about two years but eventually got restless. She travelled all around the U.S starting in San Francisco to Chicago to Philadelphia and even spent a couple months in New York, she had liked it here in Boston so decided to stay. The bail bondsmen thing just sort of happened, mostly her life was normal but every once in a while she would hear about a demon attack or a vampire attack, it was then that she realised that she was good at tracking things down. So when the opportunity to find dirt bags for money came around she took it. That had been 3 years ago. It had been four years since Faith and Angel had helped her escape. She had contacted Faith once she had settled in Tallahassee, turns out when Faith told the scoobies that Buffy was gone there was a lot of yelling, it had gotten really bad, Faith told her "B man I swear how did you put up with these people for eight years, I've been with them a week and I am very close to going all dark slayer again. They make prison seem like a five star hotel." Buffy laughed at her friend, they had continued to talk before Faith had to go. She had stayed in contact with Faith over the years they talked every couples of months, she had kept in contact with Angel as well, at least until L.A. went to hell, she had not heard from him since. Now four years later here she was in Boston 26 years old, honestly if you had told her that she was going to make it to this day a few years ago she would have laughed and considering how many times she's died it would make sense that would die again soon.

Buffy made her way back to the counter where her cupcake was still in the box. She opened the box and placed the cupcake on the counter, she placed a candle on top and lit it. She leaned her elbows on the counter staring at the cupcake resting her chin on her arms "Another banner year." She whispered before closing her eyes and blowing out the candle making the same wish she always does. Then the doorbell rang. Buffy's head shot up, she did not know anyone in this town so who the hell could it be. When she opened the door there stood at small boy could not have been older than 11 years old. "uh... can I help you?"

The boy looked up at her then answered her question with his own "Are you Emma Swan?"

"Yeah. Who are you?"

The boy smiled at her "My name's Henry. I'm your son." Buffy was shocked, it wasn't possible she gave up her kid 10 years ago and how in the hell would her son know her fake name. Before she could question him he ducked under her arm entering the apartment "whoa. Hey, kid. Kid. Kid! I don't have a son. Where are your parents?"

The boy looked at her "Ten years ago, did you give up a baby for adoption? That was me."

Buffy starts to panic "Give me a minute." She quickly rushes to the bathroom closing the door behind her trying to calm her breathing as she pants.

"Hey, you have any juice?" she hears from the other side of the door "never mind. Found some." When she comes back into the room, the kid is drinking juice from the carton while sitting at the counter, he sees her and says something else which shocks her "You know, we should probably get going Buffy." Buffy looks at the boy confusion settling on her face "how did you—"

"That's your name right, your real name Buffy Anne Summers. You think I would come here and not know your real name? I only called you Emma before 'cause I did not know if anyone else around here knew and if they don't, I'm guessing you would rather they not know." Buffy did not know what to say she was still in shock, Lena had made sure that any knowledge of her having a kid was erased. (Little did Buffy know that Lena had been ordered by the powers that be to make sure that Henry could find his mother) and Faith was the only one who called her Buffy anymore. Honestly it was actually kind of nice. "Thanks"

The boy nodded then continued to speak "You know, we should probably get going."

"Going where?" Buffy asked.

"I want you to come home with me."

"Ok, kid. I'm calling the cops." As she went to pick up the phone she heard Henry speak up "And I'll tell them you kidnapped me."

Buffy sighed "And they'll believe you, because I'm your birth mother."

"Yep"

"Your not gonna do that."

Henry smirked "try me" Buffy smiled the kid was good but her years as the slayer and a bail bondsman had taught her to spot a liar from a mile away. "You're pretty good, but here's the thing. I have certain skills one of which helps me tell when someone is lying to me, and you, kid, are." Buffy started to dial the number when Henry spoke begging her not to "wait. Please don't call the cops. Please. Come home with me."

Buffy sighed "where's home?"

"Storybrooke, Maine."

"Stroybrooke, your kidding right?" The kid shook his head, he was completely serious.

"Fine. Alright. Let's just get you back to... Storybrooke." Buffy headed to her room to change while Henry smiled.

In a beautiful castle a very pregnant Snow White stood on the balcony holding a bluebird, which flew off as her husband entered the room and made his way towards her. "What's wrong" he asked her.

"Nothing."

"Your thinking about what the Queen said again, aren't you? Snow, please. I can't keep having this conversation. You have to let it go. We're about to have a baby."

"I haven't had a restful night since our wedding" Snow says as she walks back into the nursery and stands in front of the bassinet, Charming tries to reason with her "That's what she wants, to get in your head, but they're only words. She can't hurt us."

Snow looks up at her husband "She poisoned an apple because she though I was prettier than her. You have no idea of what she's capable."

Charming sighs "What can I do to ease your mind?"

"Let me talk... to him."

"Him? You don't mean - "

"I do"

Shaking his head Charming tries to convince his wife out of her idea "No. No, No. It's too dangerous."

"He sees the future" She argues.

"There's a reason he's locked up. Can you promise me that our child will be safe? Can you guarantee it? Because he can."

The prince sighs knowing that she is right "All right. For our child."

Buffy and Henry sit in Buffy's 1967 Mustang as she drives them to Storybrooke, both of them look at the each other when the other is not looking. Henry decides at this point that he is hungry "I'm hungry. Do you want to stop somewhere?"

Buffy just shakes her head at the kid "This is not a road trip. We're not stopping for snacks."

"Why not?" Henry asked genuinely confused.

"Kid, you do realise that I can still put your ass on a bus so quit complaining"

"You know, I have a name. It's Henry."

Buffy sighs and looks back at Henry and notices the book in his arms. "What's that?"

Henry just keeps looking at the book "I'm not sure you're ready."

Buffy turns her head and seeing that it is fairytale book feels relieved, for some reason she had a bad feeling like he was reading one of those old dusty books that Giles used too keep in the library. "Ready for some fairy tales?"

Henry turns towards his birth mother "They're not fairytales. They're true. Every story in this book actually happened." Buffy sighed, there were a lot of things she believed in and things she knew existed demons, vampires, yes. But fairytale characters being real, no. She had even checked with Giles years ago after curiosity got the best of her. Giles had explained to her that those characters do not exist in real life, which made her slightly upset but she got over it, people don't just live happily ever after, this was the real world and things were far from perfect. Buffy, looks back at the road as she drives and responds to Henry's statement "Of course it did."

"Use that superpower of yours, you said you could tell if I'm lying see if I am." Buffy smiled by the way Henry described her skills set but stays focused on driving "Look kid, believing in something doesn't make it true, ok." Henry however argues with this statement "That's exactly what makes it true." Buffy has to hand it to the kid he is stubborn "you should know more than anyone." Buffy now very confused turns her head to look at the boy "why is that?" Henry's answer shocked her slightly "Because you're in this book." Buffy shakes her head, she knows for a fact that unless that is a book about slayers or demons or hell even a book of prophecies there is now way that's possible. "Oh, kid. You've got problems."

Henry simply stares at her "yep, and you're gonna fix 'em." Buffy lets out a breath she has had so many people expect her to fix their problems over the years and now it is happening again. Buffy could only think one thing 'Crap'.

Snow and charming follow the guard in the dungeon to where the person they want to talk to is being kept. The guard leads the way holding up a flaming torch "When we reach the cell, stay out of the light, and whatever you do, do not let him know your name. If he knows your name, he will have power over you." He warns them both, as they come face to face with the cell Snow and Charming pull their hoods over the heads to help hide their faces, while the guard calls for the prisoner. "Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin! I have a question for you." Rumplestiltskin appears climbing down from the ceiling using the bars on the cell to lower himself to the ground, he then addresses the guard "No, you don't. They do... Snow White and..." Rumplestiltskin mocks the prince using the name Snow gave him "Prince Charming." Rumplestiltskin laughs, "you insult me. Step into the light and take off those ridiculous robes." They do as he suggests and removes their hoods "ah." Says Rumplestiltskin as he cackles. "That's much better." As the couple moves toward to cell it is the prince who speaks

"We've come to ask you about the—"

Rumplestiltskin interrupts them yelling in frustration "YES, YES! I know why you're here. You want to know about the Queen's threat."

Snow stares at the dark one "tell us what you know!" she demands.

"Ohh. Tense, aren't we?" he teases in a childlike manner "Fear not, for I can ease your mind, but it's gonna cost you something in return."

Charming glares at Rumplestiltskin "No. This is a waste of time." He tries to get Snow to leave but she ignores him and moves in closer to the cell. "What do you want?"

"Oh.." the dark one ponders then looks Snow in the eye as he makes his request "The name of your unborn child?"

Charming steps forward outraged "Absolutely not."

Snow closes her eyes for a moment to think, she opens them staring with determination at the dark one "Deal. What do you know?" Charming stares at his wife stunned that she would agree. "Ah" The dark one chuckles "The Queen has created a powerful curse, and it's coming. Soon you'll all be in a prison, just like me, only worse, for your prison, all of our prisons will be time, for time will stop..." Both Snow and Charming stare at the Dark One in horror as he continues "And we will be trapped someplace horrible, where everything we hold dear, everything we love will be ripped from us, while we suffer for all eternity, while the Queen celebrates, Victorious at last! No more happy endings."

Snow scared for the kingdom steps even closer to the dark one "What can we do?"

"We can't do anything." The dark one answers.

"Who can?"

Rumplestiltskin reaches a hand out of his cell and points at Snow's stomach "That little thing growing inside your belly." When he tries to touch her the Prince smacks his hand with his sword causing Rumplestiltskin to withdraw, the prince then warns Rumplestiltskin "Next time I cut it off." Rumplestiltskin just clicks his tongue at the Prince before continuing "the infant is our only hope. Get the child to safety. Get the child to safety. And on its...26th birthday, after her battles are done, the child will return, the child will find you, and the final battle will begin!" Rumplestiltskin laughs madly Snow stares at him and begs "what do you mean her battles" Rumplestiltskin simply giggles "No. No. Not telling. It's a surprise." He laughs again as Charming grabs his wife "I've heard enough. We're leaving." Rumplestiltskin laughing slows and he becomes full of rage "Oh, Ho! Ooh! Yoo-Hoo! Hey! You! We made a deal! I want her name! We had a deal! I need her name! H-h-her name!"

The prince turns slightly glaring at the lunatic " 'Her?' It's a boy." Rumplestiltskin ignores the prince and speaks directly to Snow who still has her back towards him "Missy. Missy, you know I'm right. Tell me. What's her name?" Snow slowly turns towards the dark one after a moment of hesitation she answers his question.

"Buffy. Her name is Buffy"

The dark one smiles and repeats the name "Buffy. Ah."


	3. Pilot - Part 2

Buffy and Henry finally get to the Storybrooke town line, as they get closer to the centre of town Buffy turns to the boy "Okay, kid. How about an address?"

Henry smirks "44 I'm-not-telling-you street." Buffy hits the breaks causing the car to stop and the tires to screech "son of a –" she steps out of the car slamming her door behind her. She takes a deep breath and looks at Henry as he steps out of the car "Look, it's been a long night, and it's almost..." Buffy looks around the small town for something that will tell them how late it is when she sees the clock tower "8:15? What the hell."

Henry interjects "That clock hasn't moved in my whole life. Time's frozen here."

Buffy stares at the small boy as she crosses her arms "Excuse me?"

"The Evil Queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted forest here."

Buffy interrupts very skeptical "Hang on. An evil queen sent a bunch of fairy tale characters here? Of all places a tiny little town in Main?"

Henry nods "Yeah, and now they're trapped."

"And stuck in Storybrooke, Maine— That is what your gonna go with, seriously."

"It's true." Henry argues

"Then why doesn't everybody just leave?"

"They can't. If they try, bad things happen." Buffy can't help but think of Sunnydale according to Henry bad things happen when you leave Storybrooke, while Sunnydale was literally the opposite, bad things happened if you stayed. Buffy shook her head knowing that Henry's theory was crazy. Before she could say any thing a man and his dog walked towards them "Henry" The man called "What are you going here? Is everything alright?"

Henry turns to the man "I'm fine, Archie." Henry then strokes the Dalmatian at Archie's side. Archie turns his attention to Buffy "Who is this?"

Buffy not sure exactly what to say keeps it very vague "Just someone trying to give him a ride home."

But Henry has other ideas "Oh, she's my mom, Archie."

Archie stares at the blonde who seems rather uncomfortable "Oh. I see."

Buffy cuts right to the chase "Do you know where he lives?"

Archie nods and points down the road "uh, yeah, sure. Just, uh, right up on Mifflin Street. The Mayor's house is the biggest one on the block."

Buffy turns to Henry, who is know looking at the ground. The mayor, damn, well can't be as bad as the mayor in Sunnydale. "You're the Mayor's kid?"

Henry doesn't look up "uh, Maybe."

Archie draws everyones' attention " Hey, where were you today, Henry? 'Cause you missed our session."

Henry looks up "Oh, well, I forgot to tell you, I went on a field trip."

Archie sighs and bends down on his knees in front of the boy "Henry... What did I tell you about lying? Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything." Buffy who is slightly disturbed by the situation hurries this along "Okay. Well, I really should be getting him home."  
Archie nods and stands "Yeah, Sure, well, listen, um, have a good night, and, uh, you be good, Henry." Archie smiles at the two of him and walks off in the opposite direction.  
Buffy turns to Henry "So that's your shrink?"  
Henry glares at her "I'm not crazy."  
"Didn't say that. Just...He doesn't seem cursed to me. Maybe he's just trying to help you."  
Henry still won't let it go "He's the one that needs help, Because he doesn't know."  
Buffy interjects "That he's a fairy tale character?"  
"None of them do. They don't remember who they are." Henry head back to the passenger's door while Buffy sighs "Convenient. All right. I'll bite. Who's he supposed to be?"  
Henry smiles as he answers "Jiminy Cricket."  
Buffy cracks a joke at his answer "Right. The lying thing. I though your nose grew a little bit."  
Henry huffs "I'm not Pinocchio."  
"Of course you're not, 'cause that would be ridiculous."  
Buffy puts the car back into drive, Buffy doesn't say anything but then Henry asks her something she does not expect "So what name are you gonna use?" Buffy looks at him confused "Buffy or Emma?" Buffy looks away she had not thought about it. Before she can answer Henry carries on speaking "I think you should use Buffy. First it's kind of cool. Plus if you use your real name then you won't have to explain why you are using a fake name if anyone finds out. And it's not like anyone is gonna know you here, so why not be Buffy again?" Buffy smiles at the kid. She figures she could use her real name, it's not like she was gonna be here that long. Plus it will be nice to use her actual name for a little while, even if it's just for the night. "Alright kid. Buffy it is." Henry smiles at her obviously very proud of himself. Buffy laughs slightly as they continue to drive to the Mayor's house.

Prince Charming slammed his fist onto the large table "I say, we fight!" the prince yells as he looks at the people sitting around the table in the war room of the castle.  
"Fighting is a bad idea. Giving in to one's dark side never accomplishes anything." Say Jiminy Cricket as he stands on the table looking up at the Prince. The Prince just glares arguing "And how many wars has a clear conscience won? We need to take the Queen out before she can inflict her curse." One of the seven dwarfs, who is sat next to Snow White looks at the prince "Can we even trust Rumplestiltskin?" He asks the Prince.  
"I've sent my men into the forest." Replies the Prince "The animals are abuzz with the Queen's plan. This is going to happen, unless we do something.  
Snow White shakes her head and sighs "There's no point. The future is written." She tells her husband but he looks away shaking his head "No. I refuse to believe that. Good can't just lose."  
"Maybe it can." Says Snow as she looks away. Charming watches him wife then crouches down next to her "No. No. Not as long as we have each other. If you believe him about the curse, then you must believe him about our child. She will be the savior. Before Snow can respond to doors blast open, everyone in the room turns to face the intruders as the Prince speaks "What the hell is this?" The blue fairy flies into the room followed by several guards who are carrying a large tree. The fairy flies towards the prince and hovers over the centre of the table then addresses the couple "Our only hope of saving that child." She tells them.  
Grumpy who is sat next to a woman in a red hood and her grandmother interrupts "A tree? Our fate rests on a tree?" He turns his attention back to the Prince "Let's get back to the fighting thing."  
However the blue fairy continues "The tree is enchanted. If fashioned into a vessel, it can ward off any curse." The fairy then looks towards someone else in the group  
"Geppetto, can you build such a thing?" Geppetto nods at the fairy "Me and my boy—we can do it." He says as he pats his son's head who is sat on the floor. The blue fairy smiles and turns her attention back to Snow White and the Prince "This will work. We all must have faith." Snow smiles and grabs her husband's hand but the blue fairy continues "There is, however, a catch." They turn to look at her as she continues "The enchantment is indeed powerful, but all power has its limits, and this tree can protect only one." Snow and charming look at each other sadness on both of their faces, what were they going to do.

Buffy pulls up in front of the Mayor's house with Henry they both get out of the car and start towards the entrance "Please don't take me back there." Begs Henry. Buffy keeps on going "I have to. I'm sure you parents are worried sick about you." Henry sighs "I don't have parents—Just a mum, and she's evil." Buffy stops, rolling her eyes turns towards Henry "Evil? That's a bit extreme, isn't it?"  
Henry looks at Buffy with a sad expression "She is. She doesn't love me. She only pretends to." Buffy sighs feeling a sharp pain of guilt in her heart and bends down in front of the boy "Kid. I'm sure that's not true." At that moment the front door of the house opens and a women calls out "Henry?" the woman says and then runs towards him "oh, Henry." She wraps her arms around him "ohh. Are you okay? Where have you been?! What happened?"  
Henry glares angrily at the woman with short black hair "I found my real mum!" he yells before storming into the house. The woman looks at Buffy who is feeling slightly awkward and speaks to her "Y-you're Henry's birth mother?" Buffy does not know what to say so goes with a simple "Hi" The rather handsome man standing behind Henry's mother finally speaks "I'll just go and check on the lad, make sure he's all right." As he leaves the mother looks at Buffy and smiles "How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you ever tasted?"  
Buffy stares at the woman "You got anything little bit stronger?"

Buffy follow the woman who she had learned is called Regina, into the luxurious house, Buffy stands in the hall of the dining room while Regina get's glasses and something to drink. "How did he find me? Buffy asks, she is still confused as to how he found her, Lena made sure there was no physical evidence, maybe the spell broke Buffy thought, that would be the only reasonable explanation. Regina does not look at Buffy when she answers "No idea. When I adopted him, he was only 3 weeks old. The records were sealed. I was told the birth mother didn't want to have any contact."  
"You were told right." Buffy says as she watches Regina to poor the drinks, Buffy did not want to have contact even though Merrick and Lena made it impossible anyway, she did not want to risk putting him in danger 'cause at the time she was the only slayer and would not be able to keep him out of harms way.  
"And the father?" Regina asks, clearly worried that Buffy's ex was going to show up. Buffy answer is vague "There was one."  
"Do I need to be worried about him?"  
"Nope. He doesn't even know."  
Regina walks towards her holding out a glass of bourbon towards her "Do I need to be worried about you, Ms. Summers?"  
Buffy takes the glass and looks at Regina "No, absolutely not."  
At that moment the attractive man from earlier comes down the stairs "Madame mayor" he calls "You can relax. Other than being a tired little boy, Henry's fine."  
Regina smiles at the man "Thank you, Sheriff." The sheriff leaves, and Regina heads towards another room of the house. Buffy follows listening to the mayor as she speaks "I'm sorry he dragged you out of your life. I really don't know what's gotten into him."

Buffy shrugs "Kid's having a rough time. It happens."  
Regina closes the door behind Buffy while she goes to sit down on one of the couches noticing the bowl of red apples. Buffy can't help but laugh internally at the irony, considering how Henry thinks of this woman as the Evil Queen.  
"You have to understand," Regina tells Buffy "Ever since I became mayor, balancing things has been tricky. You have a job, I assume?"  
Buffy looks at Regina who is now standing by the fire place and nods and she takes a sip from her glass "uh, a couple, I like to stay busy."  
Regina makes her way towards Buffy "Imagine having another one on top of it. That's being a single mom, so I push for order." Buffy has a thought while Regina speaks, little does Regina know that Buffy does have another job as the slayer, only now it is more of a part time gig.  
Regina chuckles to her self "Am I strict? I suppose, but I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life. I don't think that makes me evil, do you?"  
Buffy tries to reassure the woman even though there is something about her is giving Buffy the wigs. She is not a demon or a vampire. Buffy can't put her finger on it, Buffy just ends up believing that, that off feeling is just because she is slightly creepy. But she clearly cares about the kid. "I'm sure he's just saying that because of the fairy tale thing."  
Regina looks at Buffy curious "What fairy tale thing?"  
"Oh, you know, his book, how he thinks everyone's a cartoon character from it. Like his shrink is Jiminy cricket." Buffy chuckles.  
"I'm sorry. I really have no idea what you're talking about."  
"You know what?" Buffy sighs "It's none of my business. He's your kid, and I really should be heading back."  
"Of course" The mayor quickly stands showing Buffy the way out.

As Buffy leaves the house she can't help but think about Henry. But no matter what he is better off without her, people who care about Buffy always end up hurt or emotionally damaged. Feeling someone watching her she turns around and sees Henry watching her from his bedroom window. He stays there for a moment before moving away, Buffy sighs and gets in her mustang and heads for the town line.  
As Buffy gets closer to leaving town she looks at the passenger seat to see Henry's book, Buffy smiles and shakes her head "Sneaky son a bitch." When she looks back at the road there is a white wolf standing about 5 feet away from her car, she swerves the car out of the way causing her to crash into the town sign and smash her head into the side window breaking the glass. The wolf howls as Buffy slowly loses consciousness.

In the nursery Geppetto and his son Pinocchio are working on turning the enchanted tree into a vessel for the savior. While, Snow White stands outside on the balcony in the royal chambers. She goes inside turning to her husband "I don't want to do this." She cries. Charming looks at his wife sadly "It has to be you."  
"I'm not leaving you." Charming walks up to her taking her in his arms.  
"It's the only way." He tells her "you'll go in the wardrobe and you'll be safe from the curse."  
"He said it would be on her 26th birthday." Tears are now running down Snow's face.  
"What's 26 years, when you have eternal love? I have faith. You will save me, as I did you." Snow cries and then pulls her husband into a passionate kiss. She pulls away suddenly and gasps "What is it?" Charming asks her.  
Snow looks at her husband and gasps in pain "The Baby. She's coming."

On the other end on the castle Grumpy is keeping watch, a moment later a large fold of blue and green smoke can be seen coming towards the castle. It's the curse! Grumpy rings the bell next to him warning everyone "The curse, it's here!"

Buffy is woken by the sound of someone whistling she turns her head and sees she is in a jail cell, she then sees the person occupying the one opposite her "What are you looking at sister?"  
Another voice interrupts "Hey, Leroy. Manners. We have a guest." Buffy stands from the bed and faces the man speaking "So you are, uh, Henry's mother? How lovely for him to have you back in his life."  
Buffy raises her hand to her head which is throbbing in pain "Actually I was just dropping him off" she tells the man.  
The guy in the next cell scoffs "Don't blame you. They're all brats. Who needs 'em?"  
The other man steps forward "Well, I'd give anything for one." He then looks at Buffy "My wife and I—We tried for many years, But, uh... it was not meant to be."  
Buffy looks at the older man sadly while the other prisoner could not care less "well, cry me a river."  
At that moment the sheriff enters the room "Leroy, if I'm going to let you out. You need to behave." He opens the cell door for Leroy "Put on a smile, and stay out of trouble." Leroy gives him a forced smile then wonders off still whistling. Buffy sticks her head between the bars in her cell and stairs at the Sheriff "Come on, really?"  
He walks towards her "Regina's drinks. A little stronger than we thought."  
"I wasn't drunk. There was a wolf standing in the middle of the road."  
He stares at her unconvinced "A wolf. Right."

At that moment Regina walks in "Graham, Henry's run away again. We have to—" She stops when she sees Buffy in the cell "What is she doing here? Do you know where he is?"  
Buffy just sighs "Lady, I haven't seen him since I dropped him at your house, and I have a pretty good alibi."  
"Yeah, well, he wasn't in his room this morning."  
"Did you try his friends?"  
"He doesn't really have any. He's kind of a loner." Regina says as she glares at the blonde.  
"Every kid has friends. Did you check his computer? If he's close to someone, he'd be e-mailing them."  
"And you know this how?"  
"Look lady I have this little gift at finding things. Including people." An idea pops into Buffy's head "Here's an idea. How about you guys let me out, and I'll help you find him?"

A little while later Buffy, Regina and Graham are in Henry's room Buffy sits at his computer as Graham crouches next to her. "Smart kid. He cleared his in-box. I'm smart, too" She shows Graham her USB "Friend of mine designed this for me it's a little hard disk recovery utility I like to use."  
"I'm a bit more old-fashioned" Graham tells her "In my techniques—pounding the pavement, knocking on doors, that sort of thing."  
"Yeah, well you're on salary. I on the other hang get paid only when I deliver. Pounding the pavement is not the luxury that I get."  
As Buffy looks at the screen she sees a few weird things, Henry was emailing someone about her, someone who clearly knew that she was his birth mother, this person gave Henry all of her aliases and places she had stayed over the past four years. This person had set up a trail for him to follow, then told him to use a website to track her down. "Huh. There's a receipt for a web site – . It's expensive. He has a credit card?" Buffy asks looking at Regina.  
Regina shakes her head "He's 10."  
"Well, he used one. Let's pull up a transaction record. 'Mary Margaret Blanchard'." Buffy reads out loud for the other two. "Who's Mary Margaret Blanchard?" Buffy asks looking at Regina.

"Henry's Teacher."


	4. Pilot - Part 3

At the school a woman with short dark hair who looks exactly like Snow white is speaking to the children "As we build our birdhouses, remember, what you're making is a home, not a cage. The bird is free and will do what it will. This is for them, not us." The woman stops next to the window stroking the bluebird in her hands. "They're loyal creatures." She turns letting the bird go which flies away and lands on top of the blue birdhouse. The children all gasp while the teacher turns back round to face them. "If you love them and they love you, they will always find you." The bell rings "We'll pick this up after recess. No running." As she heads over to her desk one of the student passes her a piece of fruit she thanks them then grabs her purse. As she turns she sees Regina pushing through the children "Ms. Mills, what are you doing here?"  
Regina stands in front of her "Where's my son?" She demands.  
"Henry? I assumed he was home sick with you?"  
Buffy enters the room staying at the back of the classroom listening to the conversation. "You think I'd be here if he was?" Regina says as she glares at Mary Margaret "Did you give him your credit card so he can find her?" Regina nods her head to the side gesturing to Buffy.  
Mary Margaret looks confused then looks at Buffy "I'm sorry who are you?"  
Buffy unsure of what to say "I'm his...I'm his..."  
Regina interrupts "The woman who gave him up for adoption."  
Mary Margaret sighs and opens her bag looking for her wallet, Buffy notices "You don't know anything about this, do you?"  
"No, unfortunately not." Mary Margaret sees her wallet "Clever boy. I should never have given him that book."  
Regina is getting fed up "What in the hell is this book I keep hearing about?"  
"Just some old stories I gave him. As you well know, Henry is a special boy—so smart, so creative, and as you might be aware... lonely. He needed it." Buffy feels that sharp pain of guilt in her chest again but then she hears Regina. "What he needs is a dose of reality. This is a waste of time." Regina turns her back on the teacher and barges out of the room knocking over several books on her way then as she passes Buffy she speaks "Have a nice trip back to Boston." Buffy goes to help the teacher pick up the books and can't help but feel a sense of familiarity towards the woman. "Sorry to bother you."  
The teacher just smiles "No, it's... it okay. I fear this is partially my fault."  
"How's a book supposed to help?" Buffy asks as she hands her the rest of the books.  
"What do you think stories are for? These stories...The classics? There's a reason we all know them. They're a way for us to deal with our world, a world that doesn't always make sense." Buffy definitely agrees with that. The two head out the classroom and Buffy listens as Mary Margaret carries on "See, Henry hasn't had the easiest life."  
"Yeah, She's kind of a hard-ass."  
"No, it's more than her. He's like any adopted child. He wrestles with the most basic question they all inevitably face—"Why would anyone give me away?" I am so sorry." Mary Margaret begins to panic "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean in any way to judge you."  
Buffy keeps her voice flat as she answers not wanting to get emotional "It's okay."  
"Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have... hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."  
"You know where he is don't you?"  
"You might want to check his castle."

Snow screams in agony as she clutches Charming's hand "NO! No. I can't...Have this baby now."  
Charming looks at Doc who is standing next to Snow patting her head with a cloth "Doc, do something." Charming begs the man then turns back to Snow "It's gonna be okay. The wardrobe's almost finished. Just—Just hold on." Snow screams again and again; Geppetto runs into the room "It's ready." Charming smiles then tries to lift Snow but Doc stops him "It's too late. We can't move her."  
Snow continues to scream as Doc tells her to push. A short time later Snow holds her newborn daughter in her arms, Charming smiles at her and kisses the top of Snow's head and then looks at his daughter. "The wardrobe. It only takes one." Snow says, then both of the parents turn their heads to the bedroom door as they hear yelling, a look of despair comes over Charming's face "Then our plan has failed. At least we're together."  
Snow looks at her daughter as a look of realisation crosses her face "No. You have to take her. Take the baby to the wardrobe."  
Charming looks at his wife shocked "Are you out of your mind?"  
"No. It's the only way. You have to send her. No"  
"No, no, no, no. You don't know what you're saying."  
"No, I do. We have to believe that she'll come back for us." Charming looks at his wife tears falling down his face, Snow also has tears falling from her own eyes. "We have to give her, her best chance." Snow tells him, Charming then leans down and kisses his daughter's forehead. Snow looks down at her daughter one more time "Good-bye, Buffy." Snow kisses the child, then passes her to Charming, Charming takes the baby and kisses his wife one last time before he runs towards the door, he grabs a sword with his right hand as his left arm holds the baby. He turns back to look at Snow one more time then runs out the room with the baby. Snow watches as her husband and daughter leave the room and begins to sob.  
Charming is heading towards the nursery where the wardrobe is being kept when he sees two of the Queen's black knights who have just killed one of the palace guards. The knights turn towards the prince who prepares himself for a fight. The knights attack, Charming blocks their swings with his own sword when one of the knight's sword tries to hit the baby Charming quickly stops it and kicks the knight in the stomach he then ducks as the other knight swings his sword at the prince's head Charming runs his sword through the Knight's stomach killing him he then turns to face the other knight who slashes the princes shoulder with his blade but Charming keeps going and stabs the knight through the heart. He runs towards the nursery kicking down the door and heads for the wardrobe. Opening the doors he carefully lowers his daughter inside, he kisses her on the head "find us." He says before locking the wardrobe closed. At that moment two more black knights storm into the room due to his injured shoulder the prince cannot fight back properly and is quickly stabbed through the stomach by one of the knights. Charming falls to the ground and watches as one of the Knights pounds on the wardrobe with the hilt of their sword, trying to open it. However when the knight opens the door the wardrobe is empty. Charming smiles weakly knowing that his daughter got away then falls into unconsciousness.

Buffy finds Henry sitting at a wooden castle by the beach and climbs up the steps and sits next to him. "You left this in my car." Buffy tells Henry as she hands him the storybook. Henry takes the book and continues to stare at the clock tower. Buffy notices where his gaze is focused "Still hasn't moved, huh?"  
Henry nods "I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here, that the final battle would begin." Buffy sighs she has had enough battles in her life and the final one was Sunnydale, she would not do it again. She couldn't. "I'm not fighting any battles, kid."  
Henry looks at Buffy "Yes, you are. You're here because it's you destiny. You're gonna bring back the happy endings."  
"Can you cut it with the book crap?" Buffy asks. She has heard nothing else but destiny since she was 15, she had already fulfilled her destiny over and over.  
"You don't have to be hostile. I know you like me. I can tell. You're just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty. It's okay. I know why you gave me away. You wanted to protect me, to give me my best chance." Buffy looks away from Henry breathing heavily as tears fill her eyes, with a shaky voice she finally speaks "How do you know that?"  
"Because it's why you were sent away."  
"Listen kid. I am not in any book." Buffy turns to look at Henry "I'm a real person. And I'm no savior." Not anymore Buffy adds silently "You were right about one thing, though. I wanted to protect you and make sure you had your best chance. But it's not with me." Buffy notices the sad look come over Henry's face but keep going. "Come on. Let's go." She stands up and starts to walk away from the castle but stops when she hears Henry who is now standing up on the castle. "Please don't take me back there. Just stay with me for one week. That's all I ask." Henry runs over to Buffy and continues to beg "One week, and you'll see I'm not crazy."  
"I have to get you back to your mom." Buffy tries to reason with Henry but he won't give up.  
"You don't know what it's like with her. My life sucks."  
"Oh, you want to know what sucking is?" Buffy yells her voice shaking "Watching your mum and everyone you have ever loved die or leave you. Having to sacrifice everything for others, never being able to actually be happy, watching the people who you have sacrificed so much for turn on you in a heartbeat when you need them most." Buffy takes a deep breath calming herself down and sighs, she then bends down to Henry's level "Look" she tells him "Your mom is trying her best. I know it's hard, and I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you, but at least she wants you, and won't leave." Henry sighs and looks at Buffy, he had not known that she had lost her mother, so decided not to mention who her real parents were. When she tells his to come on he nods as Buffy turns away he walks up next to her and grabs her hand as they leave.

Snow White moans in pain as she struggles to walk to the nursery. When she sees her husband on the floor she tries to run to him but ends up limping, she drops on her knees next to his body "No, No, No! No. No." She tries to wake him "please, please come back to me." She leans down and kisses his lips hoping that true loves kiss will awaken him but it doesn't. Snow feels her heart break "Oh, don't worry, dear." Snow turns her head to see the Queen enter the room "In a few moments, you won't remember you knew him, let alone loved him." Snow stares at the Queen as she clutches her husbands body "Why did you do this?"  
The Queen leans forward slightly and snarls at Snow White "Because this is my happy ending." Snow closes her eyes letting the tears fall, as two black knights enter the room the Queen turns to them "The child?" she asks.  
"Gone. It was in the wardrobe, and then it was gone. It's nowhere to be found." The queen is furious and whips her head around to glare at Snow "Where is she?"  
Snow smiles letting out a relieved breath "She got away." She then looked up at the queen "You're going to lose. I know that now. Good will always win."  
The Queen tilts her head as she watches Snow "We'll see about that." She laughs evilly as the roof of the nursery is ripped away Snow stares at the queen fearfully "Where are we going?"  
"Somewhere horrible. Absolutely horrible. A place where the only happy ending will be mine." The queen tells her, the windows shatter as the room fills with the purple smoke, the Queen laughs victorious.

Buffy takes Henry back to his house when Regina opens the door Henry runs inside right past her. "Thank you." Regina says to Buffy.  
Buffy shrugs "It's not a problem."  
Regina walks towards Buffy "He seemed to have taken quite a shine to you." Buffy chuckled "You know what's kinda crazy? Yesterday was my birthday, and when I blew out the candle on this cupcake I bought myself, I actually made a wish. That I didn't have to be alone on my birthday. And then Henry showed up."  
Regina had now lost the smile off her face "I hope there's no misunderstanding here."  
Buffy looks at her confused "I'm sorry?"  
"Don't mistake all this as an invitation back into his life."  
"Oh."  
"Ms. Summers, you made a decision ten years ago. And in that last decade while you've been...Well, who know what you've been doing?" That pissed Buffy off in the last decade she had saved the world over and over but Buffy held her tongue and listened as Regina spoke. "I've changed every diaper, soothed every fever, endured every tantrum. You may have given birth to him, but he is my son."  
"He was the one who came looking for me. I was not—"  
"No, you don't get to speak. You don't get to do anything. You gave up that right when you tossed him away. Do you know what a closed adoption is? It what you asked for." Regina stepped closer to Buffy having no idea that with one punch Buffy could break her neck "You have no legal right to Henry, and you're gonna be held to that. So I suggest you get in your car and leave this town, because if you don't, I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do." A part of Buffy wanted to laugh at that statement, Buffy had literal beaten a God and now this woman from a small town was threatening her. "Good-bye, Ms. Summers." Regina turned heading back towards the house Buffy glared at the woman's back before speaking "Do you love him?"  
Regina turned back around "Excuse me?"  
"Henry. Do you love him?"  
Something about her voice made Buffy compare her slightly to Drusilla "Of course I love him." Buffy watched as Regina then closed the door.

Upstairs in Henry's room Henry lies on his bed as Regina stares at him holding his storybook. Regina heads down the stairs with the book, she stops in front of the mirror at the bottom of the staircase and looks at her reflection, she is worried and begins to panic as she stares at the storybook. She looks at her reflection again and clutches the book to her chest. Meanwhile at the hospital Mary Margaret is placing flowers next to all the patients, she holds one of the patients hand as he reaches for her. After a moment she lets go and goes over a room with a patient labeled Jon Doe. She looks at the man's face as she places the flowers on the bedside table. The man looks exactly like Prince Charming. Mary Margaret leaves the room to continue her work. Back in Henry's room Henry is looking out his window at the clock tower hoping it will move.  
At the same time Buffy walks up to a small house 'Granny's bed and breakfast' Buffy reads off the sign then heads inside. As she opens the door she hears a woman yelling "You're out all night, and now you're going out again."  
"I should've moved to Boston!" yells another voice. Buffy then sees an girl with black and red hair and an older woman come down the stairs the older woman looks at the younger one and continues to speak "I'm sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the eastern seaboard."  
"Excuse me?" Buffy says trying to get their attention. The older woman turns to face Buffy finally noticing her "I'd like a room."  
"Really?" the older woman asks in shock the girl with red and black hair reenters the room also shocked. Buffy nods her head at the woman "would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally, there's an upgrade free for the square, but as rent is due I'll waive it."  
Buffy smiles at the older woman who is clearly very excited "Square is fine." The older woman drops a very dusty book onto the desk "Now... What's the name?"  
"Summers. Buffy Summers." She tells the woman at that moment another voice comes from behind them "Buffy." The voice says, Buffy turns to find a man behind her "What an lovely and rather interesting name."  
Buffy shrugs as she watches the man "Thanks." He smiles at her, his smile creeps Buffy out slightly, Buffy turns back to the older woman who is staring at the man "It's all here." She tells him handing him a roll of cash.  
He reaches out and takes the money "Yes, yes, of course. Yes, dear, thank you." He turns to face Buffy again "You enjoy your stay... Buffy." Buffy watches the man leave then as the door closes behind him turns to the woman again "Who's that?" It's the younger woman that answers "Mr. Gold. He owns this place."  
" The inn?"  
The older woman answers this question "No. The town." Buffy looks slightly shocked but shakes it off "So how long will you be with us?" the older woman asks with a smile.  
"A week. Just a week." Buffy says trying to reassure herself.  
"Great. Welcome to Storybrooke." The woman says and then hands Buffy a key Buffy smiles and takes the key.  
On the other side of town Henry is still staring at the clock tower waiting for it to move. As the clock moves Henry smiles.


	5. The Thing You Love Most - Part 1

The thing you love most:

 _There is a town in Main_

 _Where every storybook character you've ever know..._

 _Is trapped between two worlds..._

 _victims of a powerful curse..._

 _That can only be broken by one person._

* * *

Buffy wakes up in her bed and looks around confused, wondering where she is till she remembers. Henry. Her son. He had shown up in Boston and begged her to come here to Storybrooke. She climbs out of bed and walks over to the window, pulling back the curtain she looks around the town square watching people go about their lives, when she noticed the clock tower. Henry had told her it had not moved his whole life, but looking at it now Buffy could see that the clock was working. Weird thought Buffy as she closed the curtain and went over to her bag.  
She searched the bag looking for her phone, when she pulled it out she sat on the bed and dialled Faith's number.  
"Hey B, what you doing man? It's 8 a.m. call at a more reasonable hour." Faith said over the phone clearly exhausted and slightly hangover.  
"Faith, my son showed up at my door last time."  
Over in Cleveland Faith shoots out of bed shocked by the statement "What?!" She yells into the phone, when Robin stirs next to her she quickly gets out of the bed "Hold on a minute." She tells Buffy as she grabs her robe. Faith quickly opens the bedroom door and quietly sneaks down the corridor and out the backdoor, she doesn't want to risk everyone else hearing her talking to Buffy. Once Faith is outside she sits down on the nearby bench "So you are telling me, that the kid you had to give away ten years ago, showed up on your doorstep in Boston?" Faith asked, still in complete shock.  
Buffy crosses her leg on her bed and takes a deep breath before answering "Yes. He showed up knew my name. The real one and the fake one. Then demanded that I come with him to a place called Storybrooke in Main."  
Faith burst out laughing "Storybrooke. Really?" Faith at this point is having trouble breathing due to laughter, then hears what Buffy says next "Yeah. And appartently he thinks that everyone in town is actually a fairytale character and that they have been cursed and that I'm the one that can break the curse."  
"Damn B you finally get out of the savior business and then your kid shows up demanding you come out of retirement. But seriously fairytales. Wow. His imagination is off the charts. So what's his name?"  
"Henry. His name is Henry."  
"Hmm, Henry. You know B I dated I guy named Henry once, he could do this thing with—"  
"Ew, ew, ew. I don't want to know." Faith laughs and doesn't hear Willow and Dawn come onto the balcony above her.  
"So what's he like then." Faith asks Buffy, actually rather curious. The only other person who she knows with a slayer for a mother is Robin "With a slayer as a mom, B your kid has got to be a bit of a badass."  
Buffy laughs and leans her head against the headboard "He's ten and too smart for his own good. And stubborn. But not as bad as Dawn. He, as you already know has a vivid imagination." Buffy sighs.  
Faith notices "B what's wrong Henry sounds great, well other than the whole fairytale thing, that's just weird but he's a kid."  
"It's just I agreed to stay in town for a week partly just to piss of the mayor, who is also his adopted mother and kind of a bitch. But anyway I also agreed because I want to get to know him. Which scares me I have avoided getting attached to people and it's worked out well for me but what if he gets into my head, I don't know if I will be able to shake him."  
Faith sighed she really had no idea what to say she had never been forced to give up a child "B, if you want to get to know him do it. Just figure out the rest later."  
Buffy thought about it Faith was right she was about to ask her something else when there was knock at the door. "Hey Faith I gotta go someone just showed up can I call you later."  
"Sure. B if you need anything-"  
"I know, thank you and that offer is open to you as well, bye." Faith hung up the phone and stretched, when she tilted her head up to stretch her neck she saw Willow and Dawn watching her from the balcony "Oh crap" Faith realised they had heard her conversation with Buffy and they looked pissed.

Buffy opens the slightly poking her head out the door to see Regina standing there holding a basket of apples in her arms. She opened the door the rest of the way and looked at Regina who addressed her " Did you know the honey crisp tree is the most vigorous and hardy of all apple trees? It can survive temperatures as low as 40 below and keep growing. It can weather any storm." Buffy gives her an odd look as she continues "I have one that I've tended to since I was a little girl...and to this day I have yet to taste anything more delicious than the fruit it offers."  
Regina hands an apple to Buffy who takes it "Thanks"  
"I'm sure you'll enjoy them on your drive home." Regina tells her as she holds out the basket towards Buffy.  
"Actually, I'm gonna stay for a while." Buffy tells Regina who instantly loses the smile off her face.  
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Henry has enough issues. He doesn't need you confusing him."  
Buffy tilts her head at the mayor "All due respect, Madame Mayor, the fact that you have now threatened me twice in the last 12 hours make me want to stay more." Buffy gives her an innocent smile. "Since when were apples a threat?" Regina asks trying to act completely clueless.  
Buffy continues to smile "I can read between the lines. Sorry. I just want to make sure Henry's okay."  
"He's fine, dear. Any problems he has are being taken care of." That statement made Buffy worry "What does that mean?"  
Regina leans forward "It means I have him in therapy. It's all under control. Take my advice, Ms. Summers, only one of us knows what's best for Henry." Buffy gives her a skeptical look "Yeah, I'm starting to think you're right about that."  
"It's time for you to go." Regina says in a flat voice, making it sound more like an order than anything else.  
"Or what?" Buffy challenges.  
"Don't underestimate me, Ms. Summers. You have no idea what I'm capable of."

Later at Granny's dinner Buffy is sitting at the counter reading the Storybrooke Daily Mirror newspaper. Which she is on the cover for 'Stranger destroys historic sign', Buffy sighs and is about to bite into her apple when the waitress Ruby come over "Here you go." Ruby says as she places a hot chocolate in front of Buffy.  
Buffy is slightly confused "Thank you. But I did not order that."  
Ruby smiles mischievously "Yeah, I know. You have an admirer." Ruby gesture behind Buffy, when Buffy turns she sees the sheriff. She sighs and grabs the hot chocolate smiling at Ruby before heading over to his table.  
The sheriff notices her "Ah, so you decided to stay."  
"Observant—important for a cop."  
He ignores her statement "It's good news for our tourist business. It's bad for our local signage." Buffy tilts her head giving him an annoyed look "It's—it's a joke." Buffy then gives him a skeptical look "Because you ran over our sign."  
Buffy just rolls her eyes "Look, the cocoa was a nice gesture, and I am impresses that you guessed that I like cinnamon on my chocolate, cause most people don't, but I am not here to flirt." She places the cut in front of him "So thank you, but no, thank you."  
He just shakes his head "I didn't send it."  
"I did." Comes a voice from another table Buffy turns to see Henry "I like cinnamon, too."  
"Don't you have school" Buffy asks the boy.  
Henry walks over to her as he puts his backpack on "Duh. I'm 10. Walk me."

"So what's the deal with you and your mom?" Buffy asks as she walks with Henry to the school, tossing the apple from hand to hand.  
"It's not about us. It's about her curse. We have to break it. Luckily, I have a plan. Step one – Identification. I call it operation cobra." Buffy who has decided to play along looks at Henry slightly confused "Cobra? That has nothing to do with fairy tales."  
"Exactly." Henry tells her "it's a code name to throw the Queen off the trail." Buffy can't help but think how Xander would probably adore Henry, they would most probably spend hours talking strategy together. She shakes the thought away "So everyone here is a fairy Tale character – They just don't know it?"  
Henry nods "That's the curse. Time's been frozen, until you got here." Buffy thinks for a moment before bringing the apple in her hands to her mouth, she is about to bite into it when Henry sees "Hey!" hey yells startling Buffy "Where'd you get that?" Buffy looks at the apple then back at Henry  
"Your mom."  
"Don't eat that." He tells her then grabs the apple out of her hands and tosses it over his back. Buffy watches the apple flie behind them in shock  
"O-okay." She looks back at Henry "Uh, all right, what about their pasts?"  
"They don't know. It's a haze to them. Ask anyone anything, and you'll see." Buffy finally thinks she got it now "So for decades, people have been walking around in a haze, not ageing, with screwed-up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious."  
Henry smiles "I knew you'd get it. That's why we need you. You're the only one who can stop her curse."  
Buffy turns to Henry remembering that he has yet to tell her why that is "Because I'm—what? Henry you still haven't told me why I'm the one who has to break the curse."  
Henry stops and faces her "Yes I know, but like I told you, you're not ready to know why. But it is you. And right now we have the advantage. My mom doesn't know that. I took out the last page where it explains it all. But you can't read it." Buffy takes the paper to see Henry has blackened out a lot of the words and picture with felt tips.  
"Kid. Why rip the pages out if she won't be able to read it" The two continue walking as Buffy looks at him with a skeptical face, but before she can get another word in he speaks.  
"I know the hero never believes at first. If they did, it wouldn't be a very good story. Whatever you do, don't let her see these pages. She could still find a way to read them. So they're dangerous. If she finds out who you are...It would be bad." When the two finally make it to the school Henry looks at Buffy "I gotta go. But I'll find you later and we can get started." He starts to walk over to the entrance but quickly turns around to look at Buffy "I knew you'd believe me!"  
Buffy shrugs "I never said I did."  
"Why else would you be here?" He yells back as he runs off towards the entrance. Buffy sighs as she watches him run off then smiles slightly. At that point Mary Margaret has spotted her, she walks towards Buffy "It's good to see his smile back."  
Buffy looks down "I didn't do anything." She tells the school teacher.  
"You stayed" Mary Margaret pointed out "So does the mayor know you're still here?"

Buffy nods "Oh, she knows. What is her deal? She is not a great people person, how did she get elected? Hell, even Mayor Wilkins in Sunnydale was more of a people person and he tried to kill my graduating class."  
Mary Margaret looks at Buffy shocked "It's a long, long story don't worry about it."  
The teacher nods "Regina, she's been mayor as long as I can remember. No one's ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires quite a bit of...Well fear. I'm afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry that book. Now he thinks she's the evil queen." Buffy who was still thinking about what Henry said about how time doesn't move here and then Mary Margaret saying 'as long as she can remember' shakes herself. "Who does he think you are?" She asks the brunette.  
Mary Margaret scoffs "Oh. It's silly."  
Buffy smiles "I just got five minutes of silly. Lay it on me."  
"Snow White. Who does he think you are?"  
"Not sure he refuses to tell me. He insist that I am 'not ready'." Buffy makes air quotes with her hands causing Mary Margaret to laugh. An idea quickly pops into Buffy's head "Can I ask you a favour? Regina mentioned the kid's in therapy. Do you know where I can find the doctor?"


	6. The Thing You Love Most - Part 2

Buffy knocks on Doctor Hopper's door "Hey" she calls as she enters the room.  
He stands up as she come in "Buffy Summers. I was, uh, just reading about you." He shows her the newspaper "Let me guess, you're here for help with a little post-traumatic stress? That diagnosis was free, by the way."  
Buffy chuckles slightly "No, I'm here about Henry."  
"I'm sorry. I-I-I really shouldn't—"  
"I know. I'm sorry. Just tell me something." Buffy sits on the arm of the couch "This fairy tale obsession—what is causing it? I mean, he thinks everyone is a character in his book. That's...crazy."  
Dr Hopper smiles at her "I hope you don't talk that way in front of him. The word 'crazy' is, um, quite damaging. These stories...they're his language. He has no idea how to express complex emotions, so he's translating as best he can. This is how he communicates, and he's using this book to help deal with these problems."  
A thought pops into Buffy's head, she frowns "But he got the book a month ago. Has he been seeing you longer than that?"  
Dr Hopper shifts nervously "Um... Yes, he has."  
"So it's Regina, isn't it?"  
"Uh, his mother is a...very complicated woman, and, uh, over the years, her attempts to try and bring Henry closer have only backfired."  
Buffy sighs and looks at the ground but then notices Dr Hopper pull something out of one of the draws "Why don't you take a look at the file? Um, see what I mean." He holds out a large folder towards Buffy  
"Why are you doing this?" Buffy asks shocked that he is willing to do this.  
"Well, he talks about you a lot, and you're very important to him." Buffy listens as he tells her this and tries not to smile, when he is finished talking she looks at him, grateful "Thank you."  
"Just, uh, see that I get it back, okay?" The doctor walks over to the door opening it for her. Buffy rises from her seat and as she gets out the door hears Dr Hopper "Ms. Summers." Buffy turns "For the sake of the boy, be careful how you handle his belief system. Destroying his imagination would be—be devestating." Buffy nods and heads off hearing him close the door behind her as she leaves.

Meanwhile in Cleveland, Willow and Dawn stare angrily at Faith. Faith watches them and then makes a run for it; before she can get back to her room Willow teleports herself so she blocks Faith "You knew where she was! All this time! You knew and you've been in contact with her and you didn't say anything!" Willow glares at the dark haired slayer, and Faith swears she can see Willow's eyes turn black for a second. Faith stays silent, she refuses to let Willow and Dawn drag Buffy back into this mess, especially now that Buffy is getting to know her son. At that moment Dawn finally catches up to the two of them completely out of breath and glares at Faith "Where is my sister, Faith!?" Before Faith can think of how to handle this situation a demon burst in through the door, Faith smiles she had never been more grateful to the Powers That Be, it seems they don't want the scoobies to find out about Buffy either, so they sent them a distraction. Faith looks up at the sky "Thank you" she whispers, before jumping into the fight.

Buffy is sitting on her bed in the inn, going through Henry's file when there is a knock at the door. When she opens the door there stands Sheriff Graham "Hey there." She says "If you're concerned about the "Do not disturb" signs, don't worry. I've left them alone."  
Graham shakes his head "Actually, I'm here about Dr. Archibald Hopper. He mentioned you got into a bit of a row with him earlier?"  
Buffy looks at him confused "No."  
"I was shocked, too, given your shy, delicate sensibilities." Buffy rolls her eyes "He says you demanded to see Henry's files and when he refused, you came back and stole them."  
Buffy stares stunned, that was not what happened "He gave them to me."  
"Alas, he's telling a different tale. May I check your room or must I get a search Warrant?"  
"For god's sake." Buffy moves out of the way allowing him into the room and gestures towards the bed where Henry's file is "Is this what you're looking for?"  
Graham walks over and picks up one of the pages of notes "Well, you're very accommodating. I'm afraid, Ms. Summers, You're under arrest... Again." He takes out his cuffs and places them on Buffy's wrist.  
"You know I'm being set up, don't you?" Buffy says as he continues to handcuff her.  
"And who, may I ask, is setting you up?"

After they get to the station Graham is taking Buffy's mug shots while she questions him, "You know the shrink is lying, right?"  
Graham takes the photo and the flash goes off "To the right, please" Buffy turns "Why would he lie?" Graham asks the small blonde.  
"The mayor put him up to this." She sighs "Mayors' and I don't tend to get on well." Buffy mutters quietly under her breath, Graham doesn't hear her, so she goes on "She's gotta have something on him. He's terrified of her like everyone else in this...town."  
Graham gives her an odd look before pointing to the left "to the left." Buffy rolls her eyes and turns again. She listens as he tries to defend the mayor "Regina may be... a touch intimidating, but I don't think she'd go as far as a frame job."  
Buffy turns her head to look at Graham "How far would she go? What does she have her hands in?"  
Graham shrugs "Well, she's the mayor. She has her hands in everything."  
"Including the police force." Graham frowns at her, not impressed.  
Before he can say anything though Henry runs in "Hey." Graham turns to see Henry followed by Mary Margaret walking towards him "Henry. Henry, what are you doing here?" Mary Margaret follows the now grinning Henry and looks at Graham "His mother told him what happened."  
Buffy sighs "Of course she did" She takes a step towards Henry "Henry, I don't know what she said—"  
But Henry interrupts her "You're a genius."  
Buffy looks at him confused "What?"  
"I know what you were up to. You were gathering intel... for operation cobra?"  
Graham watches the exchange between the two, confusion filling his head "I'm sorry. I'm a bit lost."  
Henry turns to Graham "It's need- to- know, Sheriff, and all you need to know is that Ms. Blanchard's gonna bail her out."  
Buffy turns her gaze to the school teacher stunned "You are? Why?"  
Mary Margaret gives her an answer that surprises Buffy even more "I, uh, trust you." Buffy stares stunned, no one had said they trusted her other than Faith in years. She then sees Henry smiling which cause her to smile. Buffy turns to Graham "Well, if you can uncuff me, I have something to do." She holds out her hands towards Graham.

Buffy makes her way to Regina's house an axe in her hands, she had been tempted to use the scythe but choose against it. She started cutting into the tree in the backyard easily, whereas a normal person her size would not have the upper body strength and was more likely to use a chainsaw. Which, Buffy bet would sill look awesome. The moment the branch falls from the tree Regina runs out "What the hell are you?" Regina screams.  
Buffy smiles and tosses the axe to the side "What does it look like. Picking apples."  
Regina comes up to her getting into Buffy's face "You're out of your mind."  
But Buffy just smirks "No, you are, if you think a shoddy frame job's enough to scare me off. I have handled a lot worse. So you're gonna have to do better than that. You come after me one more time, and you're gonna have a new stump in your back yard. Because, sister, you have no idea what _I'm_ capable of." Buffy turns her back on the furious Regina and call out "Your move" before leaving the property.

Buffy is walking to Granny's trying to put on her leather jacket. She turns her head and see her car "Son of a bitch" Regina put a wheel clamp on one of her front tires. Buffy was pissed, a part of her wished that Regina was a demon so she could knock some manners into the bitch. She starts towards her car when her phone rings "Yeah." She expects to hear Faith but when she answers, hears Regina on the other end "Ms. Summers, I'd be happy to continue demonstrating my power, but am I right in guessing your resolve to stay is only growing?"  
Buffy reaches her car "You have no idea."  
"Well, then, I think it's time we made peace. Why don't you drive over to my office? Or walk—whatever suits you."  
Buffy throws her things into the car and slams the door, she looks at the front wheel once more then hangs up the phone and heads towards Regina's office.

Buffy sits on the couch watching Regina as she speaks "I'd like to start by apologising, Ms. Summers." Regina then sits down in one the leather chairs opposite Buffy with a glass of amber liquid in her hands.  
Buffy stares slightly stunned, she did not expect an apology "What?"  
"I just have to accept reality that you want to be here..."  
"That's right, I do."  
"And that you're here to take my son from me."  
Buffy frowns "Okay. Let's be clear. I have no intention of taking him from anyone."  
"Well, then what are you doing here?"  
"I know I'm not a mother – I think that's pretty self-evident—But I did have him, And I can't help it, he got in my head. I gave him up for a reason and I want to make sure he's okay. The more you try to push me out, the more I want to be here, especially after seeing how troubled he is."  
Buffy is too busy listening to Regina that she doesn't hear Henry come up to the door "You think he's troubled?"  
"Well, he's in therapy, and I only got through a couple pages of his shrink's notes before you had me arrested, but putting all that aside—He thinks everyone in this town is a fairy tale character."  
"And you don't?"  
"How can I? The poor kid can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality, and it's only getting worse. It's crazy."  
Henry decides to make his presence known, looking at Buffy with a sad face "You think I'm crazy?"  
Buffy turns around "Henry" she quickly stands walking towards him but he runs off. Then realisation hit her, Regina had planned this "How long was he there?"  
"Long enough."  
Buffy turns around furious "You knew he would be here."  
An evil smirk crosses Regina's face "Did I know that my son comes to my office every Thursday at precisely 5:00 p.m. so I can take him for dinner before his therapy session? Of course I did. I'm his mother. Your move."  
Buffy glares at the mayor fighting the urge to throw the couch at her head "You have no soul." Hell Buffy thinks Regina could probably give Angelus a run for his money "How in the hell did you get like this?" Buffy turns her back on Regina and leaves the office.

Buffy knocks on Mary Margaret's door, after much debate. When the door open Mary Margaret looks shocked, Buffy just sighs "Hey. Just wanted to say thank you and, um, pay you back for the bail money." Buffy hands her an envelope full of cash which she takes, Mary Margaret smiles and looks at Buffy intently "You look like you need to talk." Buffy hestitates for a moment before nodding. Buffy sits at the table with the hot chocolate Mary Margaret gave her, she brings to cup to her lips and takes a sip when she notices something "Cinnamon?" Buffy asks Mary Margaret who is walking over with a plate of cookies. "Oh. I'm sorry." Mary Margaret says as she takes her seat "I should have asked. It's a little quirk of mine. Do you mind?"  
Buffy smiles "Not at all." Mary Margaret offers her a cookie "No, thanks."  
Buffy places her cup back on the table and turns to Mary Margaret "When you bailed me out, you said that you trusted me. Why?"  
Mary Margaret looks at her hands and smiles "It's strange—ever since you arrived here, I've had the oddest feeling like we met before. I mean, I know it's crazy."  
Buffy smiles slightly at the school teacher "I'm starting to reevaluate my definition of crazy. Which is saying something considering some of the things I have seen."  
"For what it's worth, I think you're innocent."  
"Of breaking and entering or just in general?"  
"Whichever makes you feel better."  
Buffy chuckles at the response, "Doesn't really matter what anyone thinks I did or didn't do." She looks the brunette in the eyes "I'm leaving. Thank you for everything, but I think it's for the best. If I stay, Henry's only gonna keep getting hurt."  
Mary Margaret tilts her head "What happens if you go? I think the very fact that you want to leave is why you have to stay. You care about him." Buffy looks away but Mary Margaret keeps going "Who will protect Henry if you won't?"

After leaving Mary Margaret's Buffy heads back to Dr Hopper's office, she opens the door Archie sees her "Ms. Summers." He walks towards her "Look, I can explain. The mayor forced me—"  
Buffy interrupts him "I know. Don't worry about it. I get it." She then turns to Henry who is sitting on the couch "Henry, I'm sorry."  
He refuses to look at her "I don't want to talk to you."  
Archie tries to reason with Buffy "Ms. Summers, if she knew you were here—"  
"To hell with her." Buffy says as she sits in the chair opposite Henry "Henry, there is one simple reason I stayed here—you. I wanted to get to know you."  
"You think I'm crazy." Henry exclaims.  
"No, I think the curse is crazy, and it is." Buffy sighs, she quickly looks up at Archie and comes up with an idea "But that doesn't mean that it isn't true. It is a lot to ask anyone to believe in, but there are a lot of crazy things in this world. Hell I've seen all of them when I was in Sunnydale. So what do I know? Maybe it is true."  
"But you told my mom—"

"What she needed to hear. What I do know...Is that if the curse is real, the only way to break it is by tricking the Evil Queen...into thinking that we are nonbelievers, 'cause that way, she's not on to us. Isn't that what operation cobra was all about? Throwing her off trail?"  
Henry sits up and breaks into a huge smile "Brilliant."  
"Henry these pages" Buffy shows him the pages in her hands "You were right, even if she can't read them now there is still a chance, which makes them dangerous. There is only one way to make sure that she never sees them." Buffy gets up from her seat and walks over to the fire place and places the pages in the fire. She stands back up and looks at Henry "No we have the advantage." Henry gets up from his seat on the couch and runs over to Buffy throwing his arms around her in a hug Buffy sighs a hugs him back "I knew you were here to help me."  
Buffy rests her chin on the top of Henry's head "That's right, kid. I am." She pulls back "And nothing, not even a curse, is gonna stop that." Henry smiles and hugs her again. After they leave the office they stroll down Main street together as Buffy walks Henry home.

Meanwhile at Regina house, Regina is cleaning her tree of dust when Mr. Gold strolls into the garden "What a mess."  
Regina turns to face him "Not for long. What can I do for you, Mr. Gold?"  
He shrugs "I was just in the neighbourhood, thought I'd pop by. Lovely to see you in such high spirits."  
Regina chuckles "Well, it's been a good day. I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance."  
"Buffy Summers? Really?"  
"Yes. I imagine she's halfway to Boston by now."  
Mr. Gold scoffs as he picks an apple from the tree "I wouldn't bet on that. I've just seen her strolling down the main street with your boy. Thick as thieves, they looked."  
Regina frowns "What?"  
"Perhaps you should have come to me. If Ms. Summers is a problem you can't fix, I'm only too happy to help, for a price, of course."  
Regina chuckles slightly "I'm not in the business of making deals with you anymore." Regina turns back to her tree.  
"To which deal are you referring?"  
"You know what deal."  
Mr. Gold chuckles "Oh, right, yeah. The boy I procured for you. Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? How did you pick it?"  
Regina spins around to face Gold "Did you want her to come to town? You wanted all this to happen, didn't you? Your finding Henry wasn't an accident, was it?"  
"What ever do you mean?"  
"Where did you get him?" Mr. Gold smirks.  
"Do you know something?" Regina asks.  
"I've no idea what you're implying."  
"I think you do. Who is this woman, his mother, this...Buffy Summers?"  
"I would say you think you know exactly who she is." A look of worry comes over Regina's face as she glares at Gold "I really must be going." He tells her he turns away but Regina steps in front of him  
"Tell me what you know about her." She demands.  
But Gold is not fazed "I'm not gonna answer you, dear, so I suggest you excuse me. Please." Regina frowns as Gold bites into the apple before walking away, Regina watches him walk away and toss the apple over his shoulder as he goes.


	7. Snow Falls

Hey guys I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while but I just moved and I will be starting my new classes soon so posting is not going to be as regular. I promise I will try and post a new chapter each week though at least.

* * *

Snow Falls:

 _There is a town in Main_

 _Where every storybook character you've ever know..._

 _Is trapped between two worlds..._

 _Victims of a powerful curse..._

 _That can only be broken by one person._

* * *

Mary Margaret walks down main street after that horrible date with Dr Whale when she passes Buffy's car. Buffy is sitting in the front seat holding a flashlight while she reads the newspaper, Mary Margaret leans her head closer to the blonde "Hey. You okay?" She asks concerned.  
Buffy turns to face the brunette "Oh, in the world of tight spots I've been in, crashing in my car isn't so bad. Trust me I have woken up in worse place." Buffy can't help but shiver at the memory of clawing herself out of her own grave.  
"You're sleeping here?" Mary Margaret asks appaled at the idea that Buffy has to sleep in her car.  
"Turn's out Regina informed Granny that 'criminals' are not welcome. So yeah, till I find a place."  
"You decided to stay. For Henry."  
"Yeah. I guess." Buffy opens the car door and starts to get out "This town doesn't seem to have many vacancies. None, actually." Buffy shuts the car door behind her and leans her back against the car "is that normal?"  
Mary Margaret looks at the paper then at Buffy "Must be the curse."  
Buffy sighs "Why are you out so late?"  
"Well, I'm a teacher, not a nun. I had a date."  
Buffy notices the miserable expression cross over the teacher's face "from the looks of things, it went well."  
Mary Margaret sighed "As well as they ever do."  
"Tell me he at least paid." Mary Margaret shakes her head "Ew."  
"Well...Guess if true love was easy, we'd all have it." Buffy's mind quickly fills with images of Angel and other guys she has dated over the years. Buffy had given up on the idea of true love the moment she stuck that sword through Angel's heart. She then focuses back on the brunette "You know, if things get cramped, I do have a spare room."  
Buffy stares stunned "Thanks. I'm not... Really the roommate type. It's just not my thing." After living with 30 odd girls for months on end, in a one bathroom house Buffy had decided that she would never do the roommates thing again. Plus sharing space with someone puts Buffy at more risk of being hurt like last time. "I do better on my own." Mary Margaret nods sadly but also in understanding "Well...good night. Good luck with Henry."  
"Yeah." Buffy watches as Mary Margaret heads home and feels a sad expression cross her face before climbing back into her car.

The next day Buffy and Henry are sitting at his castle on the beach when he pulls out the book "I found your fa—umm, I mean I found Prince Charming." Buffy looks at Henry curiously wondering what he was going to say before, but shakes it off and continues to listen "He's in the hospital in a coma. See the scar? He has one, too."  
Buffy looks unconvinced and shrugs "So? Lots of people have scars."  
"In the same place." Henry informs her "Don't you see what this means?" Buffy shakes her head, Henry sighs then explains "The curse is keeping them apart with the coma. Now they're stuck without each other. We have to tell Ms. Blanchard we found her Prince Charming."  
Buffy looks at Henry skeptically and sighs "Okay, kid. Telling someone their...soulmate is in a coma is probably not helpful. Not having a happy ending is painful enough, but...giving someone unrealistic hope is far worse."  
"But what if I'm right? We know who they are. Now they have to know."  
"And how do you intend to make that happen?"  
"By reminding him. We have to get her to read their story to John Doe, then maybe he'll remember who he is."  
Buffy has an idea so leans forward slightly looking at Henry "Okay."  
"Okay?" Henry asks surprised that she agreed so quickly.  
"Yeah. We'll do it, but we'll do it my way. Let me ask her."

Later Buffy is sitting in Mary Margaret's apartment waiting for her response "You want me to read to a coma patient?"  
She hands Buffy a cup of hot chocolate "Henry thinks it will help him remember who he was."  
"And who does he think he was?" Mary Margaret asks curiously.  
"Prince Charming."  
Realisation hits Mary Margaret as she remembers who Henry thinks she is "And if I'm Snow White, He thinks...me...and him." Buffy nods and smiles slightly as she picks up her cup "He has a very active imagination, which is the point. I can't talk him out of his beliefs, so we need to show him. Play along. Do what he says, and then maybe, just maybe—"  
Mary Margaret interrupts now understanding the situation "He'll see that fairy tales are just that. That there's no such thing as love at first sight or first kiss. He'll see reality."  
Buffy smiles "Something like that."  
Mary Margaret puts her mug down and nods "Well...sadly, the plan is rather genius. We get him to the truth without hurting him."  
Buffy grins then reaches for her bag and pulls out the book and places it in front of Mary Margaret "I told him that we will all meet tomorrow for breakfast at Granny's, and you will give a full report."  
Mary Margaret stares at the book "Well, I suppose I'll get ready for my date. I guess I'll have to do all the talking."

Willow and Dawn are sitting in the library together waiting for Xander to tell him that Faith may know where Buffy is. The only problem was Faith had refused to give any details, then before they could push she got called about a demon problem in Texas turns out that the two slayer's stationed there were struggling and needed the help. Faith had jumped at the opportunity to get away from Cleveland and from the scoobies questioning.  
A few minuets later Xander walked in "Hey guy what's the what. You guys call me and tell me to get my ass over here, I had to get a plane 12 hour plane ride from Japan while sitting in the middle seat, with a kid who likes to kick behind me and two old ladies next to me who kept falling asleep on me." He stared at the two girls who were looking at their hands. "Will, Dawnie what's wrong?"  
Willow looks at Xander "We may have a lead...On Buffy." Xander looked at the red head shocked after four years of not finding any trace of Buffy what was different now. Xander suddenly felt very faint and lowered himself carefully to one of the seats "How?" he said in almost a whisper.  
It was Dawn who answered "Faith. She's been in contact with her this whole time." Xander was angry now after Buffy had disappeared things had almost fallen apart but Faith would sometimes give ideas which seemed very Buffy. Now Xander realised that Buffy had most probably given Faith those ideas during their talks.  
"Where is Faith?" Xander hissed, the girls informed him of the job in Texas and how she had refused to talk.  
Willow looked at Xander "I may have an idea of tracking her, it wou—"  
Dawn interrupted "She said she had a son."  
"What!?" Xander yelled in shock.  
"When we were listening to the conversation, Faith was asking Buffy what her son was like. Xander, if that's true should we really track her down and drag her back into this. Who knows maybe that's why Buffy left, what if she was pregnant and just wanted to protect her kid."  
Xander wouldn't hear it "No Dawn that doesn't matter, Buffy left her responsibilities and now it is time she comes back." Dawn nodded sadly even though she did not agree. Xander turned to Willow "How can you track her?"  
"Well it's more complicated that that. She has powerful magic cloaking her, but I may be able to find the person cloaking her and then get them to lower the spell."  
Xander nodded "Do it."

Buffy comes out of the bathroom at Granny's wearing a silver silk shirt that Henry gave her. She goes to sit down at their booth "Thanks for the shirt. Hey, is this your mother's?" Buffy asks as she sits across from him.  
Henry nods "She'll never notice."  
"Where does she think you are, anyway?'  
"Playing whac-a-mole."  
"And she bought that?"  
"She wants to believe it, so she does."  
Buffy smiles "Oh imagine that. Kind of sounds like my mum when I was a teenager, lets just say I got into trouble a lot and would make up the most ridiculous excuses."  
Henry smiles sadly he felt bad that Buffy did not know the truth about her parents, but he knew she wasn't ready. Henry kind of wished he had met his grandmother though.  
"Can you tell me about her your mum?" Henry asks, Buffy looks at him stunned by the question but before she can answer the doorbell rings and Henry turns to look at the door "She's here." Henry tells Buffy.  
Buffy leans forward and looks at Henry "Hey...don't get your hope up. We're just getting started, okay?" Henry nods as Mary Margaret come up to their booth and sits next to Henry. Buffy smiles but then it instantly falls when Mary Margaret speaks "He woke up."  
"What?" Buffy asks stunned.  
"I knew it." Announces Henry with a large grin on his face.  
Mary Margaret explains "I mean, he didn't wake up, wake up, but he grabbed my hand."  
"He's remembering" Henry says to Mary Margaret.  
"What did the doctor say?" Buffy asks still stunned.  
"That I imagined it" Mary Margaret tells her "But I'm not crazy. I know it happened."  
Henry looks at the two women "We have to go back. You have to read to him again."  
Mary Margaret nods at Henry "Let's go."  
Buffy realises what is happening "Wait, wait." She gets up from her seat "What?"  
Mary Margaret turns around to face Buffy "If I got through to him, if we made a connection—"  
"You don't believe—"  
"That he's prince charming. Of course not. Somehow, some way, I touched him." Mary Margaret then turns around exiting the diner, Buffy stares after her in disbelief then rolls her eyes and follows.

When they get to the hospital Henry runs off when he sees Graham "You're right. He's waking up."  
Graham turns too see Henry running towards them "Henry, you should stay back."  
Mary Margaret walks over to Graham "What's going on? Is it John Doe? Is he ok?"  
Graham looks at the three "he's missing." Graham steps aside to reveal John Doe's room where the bed is now empty while Regina stands there with the doctors. Buffy watches as Regina comes out of the room "What the hell are you doing here?" She demanded before grabbing Henry's arm "And you." As Regina grabbed Henry Buffy fist clenched as she held back from throwing the mayor through the window. "I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?" Regina continued to glare at Henry while Mary Margaret was still staring at the empty bed "What happened to John Doe? Did someone take him?"  
Graham shakes his head "We don't know but there's no sign for sure there was a struggle."  
Henry glares at his mother "What did you do?"  
Regina looks at Henry "You think I had something to do with this?"  
Buffy watches the exchange before interrupting "It is curious that the mayor is here."  
Regina turns her focus to Buffy and sighs "I'm here because I'm his emergency contact." She informs the group.  
Mary Margaret looks at Regina surprised "You know him?"  
Regina nods "I found him on the side of the road years ago with no I.D. I brought him here."  
At that point Doctor Whale walks over to the group "Mayor Mills saved his life."  
"Will he be ok?" Mary Margaret asked clearly worried.  
Dr Whale turns to face her "The man's been on feeding tubes for years, under constant supervision. He needs to get back here right away, or quite honestly, "Okay" might be a pipe dream."  
Buffy looks at the group "Well, then let's quit yapping and start looking" Buffy heads towards the door when Regina's voice stops her "That's what we're doing. Just stay out of this, dear. And since I clearly can't keep you away from my son...I guess I'm just gonna have to keep my son away from you." Regina takes Henry's hand and walks up to Buffy "Enjoy my shirt, because that's all you're getting. Sheriff?" Graham turns to look at them "Find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious." Regina then walks off dragging Henry with her.  
Graham turns to Whale "Doctor, how long between your rounds since you last saw him?"  
"12 hours or so."  
Graham nods "Then that's what we need to account for."  
Buffy looks around the room and spots a camera, she points a finger at it causing everyone to look before turning to the doctor. "Whale where are all the tapes from the camera's kept."

Buffy, Graham and Mary Margaret are standing in the security room where all the tapes are kept. Graham address the workers "You two were the only employees on the floor last night...and you saw nothing."  
The guard sitting in the chair yawns "Not a thing."  
Buffy looked at the two "Did anyone walk by?"  
Leory who is standing off to the side answers "I didn't see nothin'."  
Graham sighs then turns to Mary Margaret "Ms. Blanchard, was there anything unusual you saw during your trip with your class?"  
She shakes her head "I don't think so."  
Buffy who is watching the tape intently realises something and goes over to the T.V to show the others "We're looking at the wrong tape. This is the ward where Henry's class put up decorations. If this was really the tape from last night, we'd see the banners the kids hung."  
Leroy scoffs and looks at his co-worker "You fell asleep again."  
"You selling me out?" The guard asks  
"I ain't getting fired for this."  
"At least I don't drink on the job."  
Graham is getting fed up so interrupts "Where's the real tape?"  
At that moment Buffy puts in the real tape and moves out of the way so everyone else can see. They watch the tape and see John Doe walk out alone through the exit. Mary Margaret gives out a relieved breath "Oh, he walked out alone. He's okay."  
Buffy points at the time stamp "Four hours ago. Where does this door lead?"  
Leroy answers "the woods."

Graham, Buffy and Mary Margaret are all out looking in the woods for John Doe, Graham bends down to the ground "What is it?" Mary Margaret asks.  
"The trail runs out here." He tells them.  
Buffy tilts her head "You sure? 'cause I thought tracking was one of your skills."  
Graham stands "Just give me a second. This is my world. I got it."  
Buffy watches him wander further into the woods "Right. Sorry."  
Mary Margaret turns to Buffy "Isn't finding people your thing, too?"  
"Sure. Just...People I usually find run to places like Vegas, while the others prefer sewer systems. Wandering in a sewer I can do, tracking in the wood is something I haven't done in a long time."  
Mary Margaret nods "It's an interesting job—finding people. How'd you fall into it?"  
"It's kinda just happened. I was trying to escape from my past and learnt how to cover my tracks and spot other people's, it's how I found my dad."  
"Why were you running? Your friends?" Buffy's head shot around to face the teacher as Mary Margaret explained "Henry told me that you gave up a lot to protect people and that they betrayed you."  
Buffy looks away but before she can respond both woman her a branch snap behind them and turn to see Henry running towards them "Henry!" Mary Margaret exclaims in shock. "Did you find him yet?" Henry asks his teacher.  
Buffy answers the question "No, not yet. You shouldn't be here."  
"I can help" argues Henry "I know where he's going."  
Mary Margaret looks at Henry confused "And where's that?"  
"He's looking for you."  
The three catch up with Graham and continue to look through the woods as Henry continued to try and justify his case "You're the one who woke him up. You're the last one he saw. He wants to find you."  
Mary Margaret stops and turns to face the young boy "Henry, It's not about me. It just—I think he's lost and confused. He's been in a coma a long time."  
Henry doesn't give up "But he loves you. You need to stop chasing him and let him find you."  
Buffy stares at the persistent Henry "Kid, you need to go home. Where's your mom? She's gonna kill me and then you and then me again. Trust me I have died before, it's not fun." Mary Margaret and Henry both gave Buffy a weird look at her statement, causing Buffy to roll her eyes "it's a long story."  
Henry then explains " She dropped me at the house then went right out."  
"Well, we need to get you back immediately."  
"No!" Henry screams.  
At that moment they hear Graham "Guys?" The three run to catch up to Graham who is now couched on the floor Buffy crouches next to him she looks at what Graham has found "Blood." She looks around and sees Mary Margaret's worried face.  
They keep following the trail and end up by the river next to the Toll Bridge "Oh, gosh." Mary Margaret exclaims "Where is he? Can you see him?"  
Graham shakes his head "The trail dies at the water line." A moment later Mary Margaret is running "Oh, my god! Oh, my god!" Buffy turns to see John Doe's body living on the edge of the river and runs over along with Graham who is getting his walkie talky out "I need an ambulance at the old toll bridge. As soon as possible." The three lift his body carefully up and bring him onto the path Mary Margaret is panicking when Buffy hears Henry "Is he ok? Is he gonna be okay?"  
Buffy wraps her arms around Henry turning him away from the scene "Henry, don't look, okay? Don't look." Buffy watches as Mary Margaret performs C.P.R then suddenly she flashes back to that night in the Master's cave. The first time she died. Buffy's body goes ridged as she relives one of the worst moments in her life all over again.  
Suddenly John Doe coughs up water and looks at Mary Margaret "You saved me."  
Henry smiles "She did it. She did it. She woke him up."  
Buffy is still frozen and doesn't respond when the ambulance shows up Mary Margaret finally sees Buffy "Buffy?" she places an arm on Buffy's arm effectively causing the blonde to come back into reality "What is it?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Nothing, doesn't matter come on let's get John Doe to the hospital." Mary Margaret nods and they all get in the ambulance and head to the hospital.

"Watch your backs coming through. Thanks guys. We've got it from here." Dr. Whale says as he is rolls John Doe into the emergency room.  
Buffy, Mary Margaret, Henry and Graham all watch from behind the glass doors as the doctors and nurses work on John Doe. A moment later a blonde woman comes running towards them "David! David, is that you?" She walks straight past the four of them and goes straight into the room. Dr. Whale looks up at the blonde woman "Excuse me, Ma'am? Ma'am, you can't be in here, please. You can't be here right now." But the woman doesn't listen she just walks up to John Doe "David." She says one more time before Whale drags her away "You can't be here, Ma'am. Will you wait over here for a second, okay?"  
The four at the doorway continue to watch confused by the appearance of the mystery woman "Who is that?" Mary Margaret asks, Buffy shrugs having no idea.  
"His wife." Says a voice from behind the group, Buffy turns around to see it was Regina "His name is David Nolan, and that's his wife Kathryn." Regina explains to the group. "And the joy on her face-well...it's put me in quite the forgiving mood." Regina says as she glares at Buffy who is now sitting in one of the hospital chairs, she then turns her attention to Henry "We'll talk about your insubordination later. Do you know what insubordination means?" Henry shakes his head "It means you're grounded."  
A moment later Kathryn comes steps into the waiting room "Thank you." She says looking at Mary Margaret "Thank you for finding my David."  
Mary Margaret looks at the woman still slightly confused "Um, I don't—I don't understand. You didn't – You didn't know that he was here in a coma?"  
Kathryn looks down at the ground clearly upset as she explains "A few years ago, David and I were...not getting along. It was my fault. I know that now. I was different and unsupportive. I told him if he didn't like things, he could leave, and he did, and I didn't stop him. It was the worst mistake I ever made."  
Buffy leans forwards resting her arms on her knees as she addresses Kathryn "You didn't go look for him?"  
She shook her head "I assumed he'd left town all this time. Now I know why I never heard from him. Now I get to do what I've wanted to do forever—say 'I'm sorry'. Now we get a second chance."  
She smiles at the group before looking back at Mary Margaret "That's...wonderful."  
Dr. Whale comes out of the room "Well, it's something of a miracle."  
"He's okay?" Kathryn asks.  
Whale nods "Physically, he's on the mend. Um, his memory is another issue. It may take time, if at all."  
"What brought him back?" Mary Margaret asks.  
"That's the thing. There's no explanation. Something just clicked in him."  
Buffy looked at the doctor skeptical "He just got up and decided to go for a stroll?"  
"He woke up and he was delirious, and...his first instinct was to go find something, I guess." Dr. Whale explains.  
Henry interjects "Someone."  
Kathryn looks at the doctor "Can I see him?"  
Whale nods "Yeah, of course." He leads Kathryn into the hospital room where David is. Buffy frowns still in a state of disbelief when she hears Regina "Henry, let's go."  
Henry slowly gets up from his seat and starts to follow his mother when he stops "Wait. My backpack." He grabs the bag then looks at Mary Margaret and in a lowered voice speaks to her "Don't believe him. You're the one he was looking for."  
Mary Margaret sighs as she looks at the boy "Henry."  
But Henry keeps going "He was going to the troll bridge. It's like the end of the story."  
"Henry, he was going there because it's the last thing I read to him."  
"No, it's because you belong together."  
"Henry." Regina calls getting impatient, Henry goes over to Regina and the two leave the room. Buffy frowns and then gets up and runs after them "Madame Mayor?" she calls when she sees Regina and Henry "Wait by the car?" Regina tells Henry before turning around to face Buffy. Ms. Summers, I let you off the hook back there, don't press it."  
"I'm sorry, but Mrs. Nolan—kinda feels like her story could be a load of crap. All this time, there's a john doe lying around in a coma and nobody puts it in the news? Nobody goes looking? Something's not right here."  
"Well, what else would make sense to you? Why would Ms. Nolan lie? Oh, do you think I cast a spell on her?" Regina smiles slightly at her own joke.  
Buffy thinks about it briefly but she would be able to tell if Regina was supernatural "I just think it's rather strange you've been his emergency contact all these years, and you only found her now."  
"Well, this town is bigger than you know. It's entirely possible to get lost here. It's entirely possible for bad things to happen."  
Buffy shrugs "And just when it's convenient, you manage to solve the mystery?"  
Regina smirks at Buffy "Thanks to you. That tape you found—that was a stroke of genius. So we went back and looked at past tapes. Turns out Mr. Doe's been talking in his sleep. He's been calling out for a 'Kathryn.' After that, it wasn't hard to put the pieces together."  
Buffy was slightly stunned but continued to listen "And here I thought you and Mary Margaret would be pleased. True love won out. So bask in the moment, dear. Were it not for you two, they would have lived their lives completely alone. That's why I'm willing to forgive your incessant rudeness" Buffy raises an eyebrow at the mayor as she goes on "Because...all this has reminded me of something oh so very important...how grateful I am to have Henry. Because not having someone...well...that's the worst curse imaginable."  
Buffy watches as Regina leaves and then heads back to her car as she walks she can't help but think about what Regina said 'not having someone, that's the worst curse imaginable.' Buffy thinks of all the people she has lost over the years her mom, Angel, Spike her friends, her sister and hell she hasn't even spoken to her father since she tracked him down after she left talahasse. Faith was really the only friend Buffy had left but she was god knows where while Buffy was here. Alone. At that thought Buffy made a decision, she got into her car and drove over to Mary Margaret's.

Buffy knocked on the door waiting for Mary Margaret to answer, then the door opened "Buffy."  
Buffy looked at the dark haired woman slightly nervous "Sorry to bother you so late. Is that...spare room still available?" Mary Margaret breaks into a smile and nods allowing Buffy to enter the house she then closed the door behind her.


	8. The Price Of Gold

The price of gold

* * *

 _There is a town in Main_

 _Where every storybook character you've ever know..._

 _Is trapped between two worlds..._

 _victims of a powerful curse..._

 _That can only be broken by one person._

* * *

Buffy and Henry are walking down the main street when Henry looks at her "Are you sure we can be out in the open?"  
"Enough sneaking around" Buffy tells Henry "If your mom has a problem with me walking you to a school bus, I am more than happy to have that chat."  
"You're brave. You'll need that for operation cobra. Speaking of, do you think we need code names?"  
Buffy looks at him confused "Isn't "Cobra" our code name?"  
Henry shakes his head "That's the mission. I mean us. I need something to call you."  
Buffy sighs slightly uncomfortable not sure what to say "Oh. Um...Well, I don't—You can just call me "Buffy" for now."  
Henry shrugs "Okay, well, then I'll see you later, Buffy." They stop infront of the school bus and Henry gets on with the other children. Buffy watches as the bus drives off, when a siren draws her attention. Graham pulls his car up right in front of Buffy and gets out the car, Buffy smiles "What's with the siren?"  
Graham smiles at her "It's so hard to get your attention."  
"All right, well, you got it. Are you arresting me again?"  
Graham shakes his head "I'm thanking you..." he sighs "For you help finding the coma patient. We all owe you a debt of gratitude."  
Buffy smirks "Well, what do I get—Last time I got thanks I was giving a shinny umbrella with a plank on it, what do I get this time—A commendation? Key to the city?"  
"How about a job? I could use a deputy."  
Buffy thinks about how funny this was, cops normally hate her, hell she had beaten one up after they tried to arrest her for Kendra's murder. Now Graham was offering her a deputy job. How ironic. "Thank you, but I have a job. Several infact."  
"As a bail bondsperson? And—I don't know what your other job is but there's not much of that going on here."  
Buffy smirks "I don't see a lot of sheriffing going on around here, either."  
"Well, here's your chance to see it up close. There's dental." Buffy chuckles "Why don't you think about it and stay a while?" He hands her a card with his phone number on it and keeps looking at her with begging eyes causing her to roll her eyes and nod her head saying she will think about it.

Buffy is sitting at a table in Granny's reading the paper when Ruby brings her, her hot chocolate "Thank you." Buffy says as Ruby places the cup in front of her before walking away. Buffy looks at the cocoa and dips her finger in the whip cream and puts it on her tongue she then goes back to reading her paper. "How was your walk with Henry?" Regina asks causing Buffy to look up from the paper as Regina takes the seat opposite her. "That's right. I know everything...But relax. I don't mind."  
Buffy just stares at the mayor "You don't?"  
Regina shrugs "No, because you no longer worry me, Ms. Summers. You see, I did a little digging into who you are, and what I found out was quite soothing. It all comes down to the number five."  
Buffy looks at the mayor confused "Five?"  
Regina smiles "It's the number of addresses you've had in just the last four years since the town, Sunnydale was destroyed. The longest you've stayed anywhere since then was two years. Really what did you enjoy so much about Tallahassee?"  
"If your wondering I did find a place here in town." Buffy informs her slightly worried about how she knows all that considering she had been going by Emma Swan at the time.  
"I know, with Ms. Blanchard. How long is your lease? Oh, wait. You don't have one. In order for something to grow, Ms. Summers, it needs roots, and you don't have any. You're what people call, a runner. You don't like to stay put; you even changed your name hoping to disappear. People don't change they only fool themselves into believing they can."  
Buffy tilts her head and smiles "You don't know me."  
"No I think I do. All I ask is, as you carry on your transient life, you think of Henry and what's best for him, perhaps consider a clean break go back to being 'Emma Swan'. It's gonna happen anyway." Buffy continues to stare at the mayor "Enjoy your cocoa." Regina tells her before leaving the dinner.  
Buffy is worried now, how could Regina know about her aliases and how much more did she know. Buffy decided she would have to call Faith and ask her if she had any contacts who could find out. Buffy stands up from her seat but ends up knocking the cocoa all over her shirt "Ohh. Really?"  
Ruby sees and runs over with a table cloth "Eesh." She hands Buffy the table cloth.  
"Do you have a laundry room I can use?" Buffy asks feeling very frustrated, Ruby smiles brightly and nods pointing to the back room.

Buffy enters the laundry room and dumps her leather Jacket on top of the table by the washing machine she opens the machine and dumps her jumper inside then peals off her vest throwing it in as well. She grabs a blue shirt that's hanging above the dryer and puts it on. It's then that she notices the sobbing girl "No, no, no, no, no!"  
"You okay?" Buffy asks as she begins to button the shirt.  
"The sheets—they're, uh... they're pink." The girl responds trying to keep from bursting into tears.  
"You tried bleach?" Buffy suggest but then the girl lowers the sheet allowing Buffy to see the large baby bump "Oh."  
The girl chuckles and sniffles at the same time as she rubs her belly "Last night I felt contractions, and the doctor said that the baby could come any day now."  
Buffy looks at the girl unsure of what to say "So...that's great." Buffy ends up saying in a flat voice before turning back to the washing machine.  
The girl keeps going "It's just that, um, when the—when the baby comes..." The girl sighs "No one thinks that I can do this. No one thinks I can do anything. Maybe they're right."  
Buffy clenches her fist and frowns before turning back around to face the girl and leans against the machine "Screw them."  
The girl looks at her confused "What?"  
Buffy says it again "Screw them. How old are you?  
"19."  
"I was 16."  
"When you—when you had a kid?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah. I know what it's like. Everyone loves to tell you what you can and can't do, especially with a kid, but ultimately, whatever you're considering doing...or giving up...the choice is yours."  
The girl sighs again "It's not exactly what you might think it is."  
"It never is. People are gonna tell you who you are your whole life." Buffy thinks of the watchers council "You just gotta punch back and say, 'no, this is who I am.' You want people to look at you differently make them. You want to change things, you're gonna have to go out there and change them yourself, because there are no fairy godmothers in this world." Buffy realises the closest thing they have to people getting their wishes answered in this world, is through vengeance demons. The girl looks at Buffy with tears in her eyes as a determined look come over her face causing Buffy to smile.

Later Buffy is back at the apartment going through her stuff while Mary Margaret walks over holding two plates "I'm so glad my stuff is here." Buffy says as she opens one of the boxes, Mary Margaret hands her a plate "Oh, thanks." Buffy says as she takes the plate and places it on the ground next to her.  
"So that's all your stuff?" Mary Margaret asks looking at the two boxes and wooden chest.  
"What do you mean?" Buffy asks slightly confused.  
"Is the rest in storage?" Mary Margaret asks.  
Buffy looks up and shakes her head "No, this is all of it. After Sunnydale was destroyed I lost everything. Since then I'm... not really sentimental."  
"Well, it must make things easier when you have to move." Mary Margaret points out, she then sees the photo frame that Buffy placed on the table when she was trying to get to the rest of the stuff in the box. Mary Margaret picks it up there is a picture of Buffy and another blonde woman. "Who is this?" She asks turning to Buffy. Buffy looks up seeing the picture and smiles sadly "That...that's my mom."  
Mary Margaret smiles "She's beautiful."  
"Yeah she is." Buffy says still smiling as she looks at the photo.  
"So where is she?" Mary Margaret says as she sits down at the table.  
Buffy's smile falters "Um..she, - She died right after I turned 20."  
Mary Margaret turns to her friend a saddened look crossed her face "Oh, Buffy I'm so sorry."  
Buffy smiles slightly "It's ok. Really. Umm... after she died it was just me and my little sister."  
Mary Margaret smiles "You have a sister?"  
Buffy nods "Dawn. We're not close, had a bit of a falling out couple of years ago before I went running."  
Before Mary Margaret can say anything else there is a knock on the door. Mary Margaret gets up from her seat to answer the door, when she opens the door there stands Mr. Gold "Ms. Blanchard, is Ms. Summers here?" Buffy hears her name and walks over to the door "Hi. My name is Mr. Gold." The man at the door says as he reaches out his hand to shake hers "We meet briefly on your arrival."  
Buffy nods at him "I remember."  
"Good. I have a proposition for you, Ms. Summers. I, uh, I need your help. I'm looking for someone."  
"Really? Um..."  
Buffy looks at Mary Margaret who nods in understanding "You know what? I'm gonna go jump I-in the bath." Mary Margaret then walks off to the bathroom leaving the two alone. Mr. Gold reaches into his jacket pocket "I have a photo." He tells her before handing it to her, Buffy takes the photo and allows Gold to walk in, as she looks at the photo Buffy realizes it's the girl from the laundry room. "Her name is, uh, Ashley Boyd" Gold informs her "And she's taken something quite valuable of mine." Buffy closes the front door before turning to face Gold "So why don't you just call the police?"  
Mr. Gold sighs "Because, uh...she's a confused young woman. She's pregnant, alone, and scared. I don't want to ruin this young girl's life, but I just want my property returned."  
Buffy looks skeptically at Gold "And what is it?"  
Mr. Gold looks away "Well, one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion. Let's just say it's a precious object and leave it at that."  
"When did you see her last?"  
"Last night. That's—" He pulls back his hair to show the mark on his head "That's how I got this. It's so unlike her. She was quite wound up, rambling on and on about changing her life." Buffy then remembers her talk with Ashley, Buffy had told Ashley to take charge of her own life. Buffy realises that Gold is still talking "I have no idea what got into her. Ms. Summers, please just help me find her. My only other choice is the police, and I don't think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail, now do they?"  
"No, of course not." Buffy says as she crosses her arms across her chest.  
"So you'll help me then?"  
Buffy thinks for a moment then looks at Gold "I'll help her."  
"Grand." Gold responds with a smile.  
At that moment the front door opens and Henry walks in "Hey, Buffy, I was thinking we—" Henry freezes when he sees who Buffy is talking with.  
Gold smiles at the boy "Hey, Henry. How are you?"  
Henry looks at Gold nervously "Okay."  
"Good." Gold chuckles then starts to head towards the door "Give my regards to your mother, and, um, good luck, Ms. Summers." Buffy nods and watches as Mr. Gold exits the apartment closing the door behind him.  
The moment the door closed Henry walks over to Buffy who was now crouched by the boxes. "Do you know who that is?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah, of course I do."  
Henry looks at her confused "Who? 'cause I'm still trying to figure it out."  
"Oh, I meant in reality."  
Henry watches as Buffy grabs some clothes out of the box "Is that...all you brought?"  
Buffy sighs "Henry, what are you doing here?"  
"My mom's gone till 5:00. I though we could hang out." Henry then notices the photo on the table "Is this your mom?"  
Buffy nods, before standing up holding the clothes "Aw, kid, I wish I could, but there's something I gotta do." Buffy walks past Henry to her room so she can change.

"Please let me help." Henry begs as he follows Buffy down the street.  
"No, no. It could be dangerous.  
Henry frowns "The pregnant maid is dangerous."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and before she could stop herself told Henry something about her past "Kid when I was pregnant, I put four jocks in the hospital and burnt down the school gym." Buffy stops realising what she just said as Henry stares at her both confused and intrigued at the same time. Buffy quickly turns back to Henry "Pretend I did not say that." She tells him before starting to walk again "Anyway she assaulted Mr. Gold."  
"Cool. On both accounts." Henry replied excited.  
Buffy just kept on walking to her car "This isn't a game. She's desperate."  
"How do you know?"  
"Because I know."  
"Well, then let's find her." Henry goes to get into the car but Buffy comes over to him "Oh, no, no, no. There is no 'let's.' You cannot come with me"  
But Henry is Stubborn "Then I'll look for her myself."  
"Then I'll find you, and I'll bring you back."  
"Then you wouldn't be helping the maid."  
Buffy throws her arms up in frustration "I am just trying to be responsible here."  
"And I'm just trying to spend time with you." Henry climbs into the car as Buffy's mouth drops open in shock.  
"Oh, that is really not fair." She climbs into the driver's seat "God, Stubborn and good with the guilt trip you are a lot like my sister. It's creepy."  
Henry shrugs and turns to face Buffy "So the maid—what's her story?"

"So this boyfriend of hers—you don't think he was involved in her disappearance?" Buffy asks Ruby as she continues to serve the costumers outside of Granny's dinner.  
"Uh, that would mean he was involved with her at all, which he isn't he left her in the lurch right after they found out they were expecting. Hasn't spoken to her since. Like I said, He's a—"  
Ruby quickly runs past Buffy over to where Billy is working on Ruby's car "Hey, hey, hey! Billy, be careful. You almost shattered my wolf thing, Billy. It's good luck."  
"I'm sorry, Ruby, but, look, it's fine." Buffy watches as Ruby flirts with the mechanic then walks over to her trying to get her attention back "Um, Ruby, What about her family?"  
Ruby turns away from Billy "Oh, um, she's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to."  
Buffy nod while Henry's interest is peeked "Wait. A stepmom, stepsisters, and she's a maid?" Henry says looking at Buffy.  
Buffy sighs "Henry, not now."  
"Look I don't know what you've heard," Ruby tells them "But it's wrong. Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying—taking night classes, trying to better herself, trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?"  
Buffy smiles and nods at the girl "I think so."  
"Then maybe you should just stay out of it. Ruby suggests "She's been through enough already."  
"I've been through it, too, Ruby, and I can help her."  
"Then try her ex."  
"Where can I find him?"  
"He lives with his dad."

Buffy knocks on the front door of Ashley's ex's house while Henry waits in the car.  
"Can I help you?" asks the young man who opens the door.  
"Sean Herman?"  
"Yeah. Who are you?"  
"I'm Buffy Summers. I'm...I'm looking for Ashley Boyd. She's in trouble. I just thought maybe she came to see you."  
A voice comes from behind them causing Buffy to turn "My son doesn't have anything to do with that girl anymore, so whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for, but there's nothing we can do to help you."  
Buffy comes to a realisation "You're the reason he broke up with her."  
The father doesn't hesitate when he answers "Absolutely. I'm not gonna let my son throw away his entire life over a mistake."  
Buffy frowns "So you just told him to leave her?"  
"Well, what are they going to do, raise the child in the backseat of a car?"  
"Some people only have the backseat of a car."  
"Well, they're to be pitied. I'm not letting that happen to my son." Sean's father walks past Buffy into the house. Sean finally speaks "Dad, maybe we should help her look."  
But his father just shakes his head "It's a waste Sean."  
Buffy leans closer to Sean and speaks to him in a lowered voice "Sean, if you want to come, come. Stop letting other people make decisions for you." She then whispers so the father won't hear "If Ashley runs away with this baby, she's gonna be in some serious trouble."  
Sean looks at Buffy surprised "She's running away with the baby?"  
"Yes."  
Sean's father comes over to them again "Sean, inside. Now." Sean sighs then goes back into the house. The father then turns to Buffy "Look, believe me... if I knew where she was I would tell you. I went to a lot of trouble to get her that deal."  
Buffy looks at him confused "Deal? What are you talking about?"  
"You don't know? Ashley agreed to give up the child, and she's being paid very well to do so."  
Buffy stares at the man stunned at the revelation "She sold the baby?"  
"Oh, you make it sound so crass. I found someone who's going to find that child a good and proper home."  
Buffy is pissed now "And who are you to judge whether Ashley is capable of providing that?"  
"Look at her. She's a teenager, and she's never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could she possibly know how to be a mother?"  
"Maybe she's changing her life."  
"Everybody says that. Now, look, I found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well, someone who's going to see to it that everybody's happy."  
Buffy finally makes everything click in her head "Mr. Gold."  
"Well, isn't that why you were hired, to bring him the baby?"

"You can't make her double-cross Gold." Henry tells Emma as she drives them back to Granny's "No one's ever broken a deal with him."  
"Happy to be the first." Buffy responds "If Ashley wants to have this baby, she should have it anyone who wants to be a mother should damn well be allowed to be one." Henry smiles slightly at the determination in Buffy's facial expressions. Buffy pulls the car in front of the dinner and quickly get out, she heads inside to look for Ruby, who is behind the counter. Buffy walks up to her "Why didn't you tell me she sold the baby?"  
Ruby shrugs "Because I didn't think it was important."  
"Really, considering that's why she's running away?"  
"Look Ashley's my friend. I don't like the idea of people judging her." Ruby walks over to the kitchen window to pick up her orders when Buffy notices the glass wolf from Ruby's car. Buffy turns her head to look outside and sees Ruby's car is gone "Ruby, where's your car?" Buffy sighs "You didn't send me to Sean to find her. You sent me there to give her a head start."  
Ruby walks behind the counter again and turns to face Buffy "Look, I'm only trying to help her."  
"Yeah, so am I. Ashley's in more trouble than you know, Ruby. Where is she? Don't make her deal with Gold without me."  
Ruby looks at Buffy then her gaze drops to Henry "I can't talk in front of him. He's the mayor's kid."  
Henry huffs "Hey, I'm on your side." But Ruby still stays silent with her gaze focused on Henry before walking off. Buffy turns to Henry and whispers "Henry...I need to find this woman, and in order to do that, I need you to go home, okay? So please listen to me, seriously. She's not gonna tell me anything if you're around."  
Henry nods in understanding "Okay."  
"Thank you." Buffy says before Henry leaves the diner. Ruby walks back over and Buffy turns to face her "She left town." Ruby tells Buffy "Said she was gonna try Boston. Thought she could disappear there."  
"How long ago did she leave?"  
"Half hour."  
Buffy nods then heads out the diner and jumps in her car and heads for the town line. It only takes her a second to realise Henry is in the backseat as she can hear him breathing "Henry, what the hell?" Henry sits up in the backseat surprised that she knew he was there "How did yo—"  
"Doesn't matter." Buffy interrupts "I am going to Boston. You can't come with me."  
"You can't go to Boston. She can't leave. Bad things happen to anyone that does."  
Buffy looks in the rearview mirror at Henry "I don't have time to argue with you over the curse. I've got to get you home."  
"We have to stop her before she gets hurt. We're wasting time. If you drop me off, you'll never catch up to her."  
"Henry..."  
"Then Mr. Gold will call the police, and he'll have her sent to jail."  
Buffy exhales deeply "Dammit. Fine buckle up." Henry smiles as he puts his seatbelt "Ashley, what did you get yourself into?" Buffy asks herself as she keeps driving.

Buffy and Henry are almost too the town line when Henry points at something outside the Window "I told you. It's her car." Buffy looks and sees the car, it has driven off the road and now sits in the field by the road. Buffy stops her car and runs over "Ashley?" when Buffy gets to the drivers seat she sees that the car is empty.  
Buffy hears crying and turns to see Ashley sitting on the ground moaning in pain "My baby. It's coming." Buffy quickly runs over and lifts the girl up bringing her back to the Buffy's car.  
Buffy starts the car and heads to the hospital "Ahh!" Ashley screams.  
"Is the baby really coming?" Henry asks from the backseat.  
"Oh, yeah. Don't worry. The hospital isn't that far." Buffy tells the two but Ashley begins to panic "No. No, no, no. Take me to Boston. I can't go back there."  
Buffy chuckles slightly at the suggestion "We don't have four hours. Trust me. I know."  
Ashley begins to sob "No, I can't go back there. Please. He's gonna take my baby."  
"I won't let that happen. But do you know what you're asking for. If you keep this child, are you really ready?"  
"Yeah."  
"Are you sure? Because I wasn't."  
"You weren't?"  
"Nope. Look you've got more than I did, you have a choice. I didn't. But if you want to give this kid its best chance, it's gonna be with someone who's ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is gonna change, and once you decide that it's yours, this running away can't happen. You have to grow up and you can't ever leave. Understand?"  
Henry who was listening the whole time to Buffy turns to Ashley as she answers "Yes. I want my baby."

Later Buffy and Henry are waiting room at the hospital, Henry sits in one of the chairs watching Buffy pace around the room "You know, Buffy, you're different."  
"What's that?"  
"You're the only own who can do it."  
Buffy sighs "Break the curse? Yes, I know. You keep telling me that."  
"No. Leave. You're the only one who can leave Storybrooke."  
Buffy frowns "You left and came and found me in Boston."  
"But I came back. I'm 10. I had no choice but if anyone else tried to go, bad things would happen."  
"Anyone except ... me?"  
"You're the savior. You can do whatever you want." Buffy crouches down in front of Henry as he goes on "You can go."  
Buffy looks at Henry as sad look crossing her face but before she can respond the nurse comes in "Ms. Summers, the baby is a healthy 6-pound girl, and the mother is doing fine."  
Buffy smiles at the woman, her smile instantly drops when she hear Mr. Gold walks into the room "What lovely news. Excellent work, Ms. Summers. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise"

Buffy glared at Mr. Gold as he walks over to the coffee machine "Well, well. Must be my lucky day. Care for a cup, Ms. Summers?"  
Buffy just continues to glare at the older man "A baby? That's your merchandise? Why didn't you tell me?"  
Gold picks up his coffee and starts to walk past Buffy "Well, because at the time, you didn't need to know."  
Buffy follows him "Really?" She asks causing Gold to stop and face her "Or you thought I wouldn't take the job?"  
"On the contrary, I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought it would make sense...to you. I mean, if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you."  
Buffy looks angrily at Gold "You're not getting that kid."  
"Actually, we have an agreement, and my agreements are always honoured. If not, I'm going to have to involve the police, and that baby is going to end up in the system, and that would be a pity."  
"That's not gonna happen."  
"I like your confidence. Charming, but all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop."  
"Let me guess. To steal a contract."  
Gold just shrugs "Who knows what she was after."  
"You know, no jury in the world will put a woman in jail whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child. I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up. Are you?" Buffy smirks "Not to mention what might come out about you in the process. Somehow I suspect there is more to you than a simple pawnbroker. You really want to start that fight?"  
"I like you, Ms. Summers. You're not afraid of me, and that's either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I'd rather have you on my side."  
"So she can keep the baby?"  
"Not just yet. There's still the matter of my agreement with Ms. Boyd."  
Buffy tilts her head "Tear it up" she suggests.  
"That's not what I do. You see, contracts, deals—well, they're the very foundation of all civilised existence, so I put it up to you now. If you want Ashley to have that baby. Are you willing to make a deal with me?" After years in Sunnydale Buffy learnt a lot of things; don't make wishes, don't leave the house without a stake or at least a knife and never make deals with people you don't trust, it will always come back and bite you in the ass. But Buffy knew that she had to break one of her rules for Ashley "What do you want?" Buffy asked as she glared at Gold.  
Gold smiled "Oh, I don't know just yet. You'll owe me a favor."  
Buffy hesitated for a few seconds because taking a step closer to the man "Deal."

Buffy and Henry walk into the recovery room where Ashley is sitting up in bed holding the baby. "Hey." Buffy says as she comes to stand next to the bed while Henry sits on the edge "What's her name?"  
Ashley's face breaks into a smile "Alexandra."  
"That's pretty."  
Ashley sighs then looks up at Buffy "Thank you for getting me here."  
Buffy nods "Mr. Gold was outside. I took care of it. She's yours"  
Tears of joy fill Ashley's eyes "She is? But what did you do?"  
"Made a deal with him."  
"Thank you. Thank you."  
Buffy smiles at the girl then sees the clock "Oh, hey. Kid, it's almost 5:00. We gotta get you home." Henry jumps off the bed, Buffy smiles one more time at Ashley before the two of them run off.

Buffy and Henry are in the car as Buffy drives them back to the mayor's house when Buffy turns to Henry "Pumpkin." Henry looks at her confused "My code name." Buffy explains "I was thinking in honour of Cinderella—pumpkin." Henry looks at Buffy for a moment before he frowns and shakes his head "You got a better one in mind?"  
"Yep."  
This makes Buffy curious "Well?"  
"I'm not sure you're ready yet."  
Buffy pulls in front of Henry's house and he quickly jumps out the car and starts to head for the door "Henry!" Henry turns "About what you said at the hospital about me being able to leave..."  
"Yeah?"  
Buffy smiles "See you tomorrow."  
Henry smiles back then run off into the house as Buffy drives off.

A little while later Buffy is leaning against her car and pulls out the number Graham gave her earlier and dials the number. "Hello?" Graham answers.  
"Graham, it's Buffy. I was thinking... maybe some roots wouldn't be so bad. That deputy job still open?"  
"Absolutely."  
"Then I'm in. Regina gonna be okay with this?"  
"I don't care. It's my department. I'll see you Monday morning."  
Buffy smiles "I'll see ya." Buffy hangs up the phone then looks up watching Henry wander around his room.


	9. That Still Small Voice

That still small voice

* * *

 _There is a town in Main_

 _Where every storybook character you've ever know..._

 _Is trapped between two worlds..._

 _victims of a powerful curse..._

 _That can only be broken by one person._

* * *

In New Orleans Willow is walking towards a small store, where she tracked down the warlock who has been shielding Buffy from her location spells. She enters the store, it's empty apart from the tall man standing by the bookshielf. As Willow walks towards him she is stopped, as surrounding the man is a binding powder, the man looks up at her "I've been expecting you."  
Willow watches the man with suspicion, "Who are you?"  
"My name is Dragomir. You're friend Oz may have mentioned me, once or twice."  
Willow stared in shock "Your the warlock he met when he was trying to learn to control the wolf."  
Dragomir smiled at the young woman and walked towards her, still not crossing over the binding spell. Willow noticed how he refused to cross the powder "What's with the binding spell, that's normally for demons."  
Dragomir clicked his tongue at the girl "Normally yes, but see this is my own special binding spell. It's designed to keep anyone who has given into their inner darkness out." Willow winces internally at the warlock, remembering what she had done to Warren. Willow tries to bury the guilt as she faces Dagomir "You know why I'm here. So tell me where is Buffy Summers?"  
"She is safe. You need not worry about, Miss. Summers." Willow glares at the man she is beginning to grow angry and impatient. "Where is she Dragomir. Tell me now!"  
The warlock merely laughs "You do not scare me little girl. You may be powerful but I have power you could never even comprehend. That was why Angel asked me to protect Miss. Summers."  
A look of despair crossed over Willow's face "Please. Tell me where she is" Willow begged.  
The warlock frowned "Miss. Summers is where she is supposed to be, she must fulfil her destiny. And I will not let you and your friends drag her back into your war. She has her own to deal with. One that will allow her to find her family. Her true family." Willow frowned in confusion, what did he mean by real family and destiny, Buffy had already fulfilled her destiny. "I suggest, Ms. Rosenberg, that you and Mr. Harris stop trying to interfere with _the_ slayer's life."  
"Buffy is no longer the slayer, she is one of many." Willow argued.  
Dragomir laughed "Oh, you dear girl, Buffy is not just any slayer she is the last of the chosen line. So she is The Slayer. No matter how many more slayers show up she will always be stronger and more powerful them then all. In time she will be more powerful than either you or even me."  
Dragomir sighed as he watched the sad red head "I will tell you something about, Miss. Summers. She is safe, for now. And she is with her son." With that Dragomir disappeared in a puff of blue smoke leaving a stunned and confused Willow alone in the shop.

Buffy looks at disbelief at the uniform Graham just handed her "You're kidding right. You know I can be a deputy while still wearing my stylish yet affordable clothing." Buffy lifts the uniform and holds it in front of her chest "A tie? You know you don't have to dress a woman as a man to give her authority."  
Graham smiles then gestures to her jacket "So you think you can get people to do what you want in that red coat?"  
"Worked in Sunnydale. Plus I'm getting you to do what I want right now." Buffy drops the uniform on the desk in front of him, while she smirks. "Well, at least wear the badge." Graham holds up the badge for Buffy to see, Buffy frowns "Go on. Take it." Graham tells her "If you really want to be a part of this community, you have to make it official." Buffy slowly reaches a hand out taking the badge and attaches it to the belt on her jeans. The moment she does the room begins to shake violently causing things to crash around the two, once it stops all the phones in the office start ringing.

Buffy and Graham drive to the old mines entrance where it seems majority of the town is now looking at the crater wondering what happened. Regina walks over to Graham "Sheriff, set up a police perimeter." She then turns to Marco "Marco, why don't you help with the fire department" Lastly she turns to Buffy "Ms. Summers, this is now offical town business. You're free to go."  
Buffy smirks slightly then turns to Regina "Well, actually, I work for the town now."  
Regina looks at Graham confused "She's my new deputy." He informs the mayor.  
Buffy smiles while Regina glares at Graham "They say the mayor's always last to know."  
"It's in my budget."  
"Indeed." Regina turns her attention away from Graham and focuses on Buffy "Deputy, why don't you make yourself useful and help with crowd control." Buffy looks at Graham who nods at her, so Buffy heads off to deal with the crowd. Buffy comes back with the police tap after Regina has told the crowd to go back and is standing next to Henry. Henry who noticed Regina pick something up from the floor and hide it in her jacket turns to Buffy and whispers "What was that?"  
Before Buffy can respond Regina walks over "Henry, enough" Regina orders him before pushing him towards the car "Listen, this is a safety issue. Wait in the car." After Henry heads off Regina turns to Buffy and Graham "Deputy Summers, Sheriff, cordon off the area." As Regina walks off Buffy rolls her eyes and walks off with Graham.

As Buffy is working she sees Henry creep out of the mayor's car and call for Archie, Henry then hides behind the police car waiting for her and Archie. When they arrive Henry turns to the both of them "This requires all of operation cobra—both of you."  
Archie looks at Henry confused "I didn't realise I was in operation cobra."  
"Of course you are." Henry says "You know everything. We can't let her do this. What if there's something down there."  
Buffy looks at Henry "Their just some old tunnels."  
Henry interjects "That just happen to collapse right after you get here?" Buffy looks at Archie for help as Henry goes on "You're changing things. You're weakening the curse."  
Buffy focuses back on Henry "That's not what's happening"  
"Yes, it is." Henry sighs "Did you do anything different today? 'cause something made this happen." Buffy's hand makes it way to her badge as she contemplates what Henry just asked. A second later Regina approaches them "Henry, I told you to wait in the car. Deputy, do your job." Buffy, who is still contemplating things nods then walks off.

Buffy is sitting at the kitchen counter at the apartment while Mary Margaret is making s'mores "Oh, I am the worst person in the world." Mary Margaret tells Buffy before biting into the s'more.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Really? In the whole world?"  
"If Kathryn was horrible, it'd be easier, but she's so...nice."  
"And what exactly would be easier?"  
"Nothing."  
"Nothing's a good idea. You're smart. You know not to get involved with a married guy it's not worth the heartache. Trust me." A moment later there is a knock at the door "I'll get it." Buffy says as she gets up from her seat and walks over to the door. When she opens the door she sees a crying Henry "Kid, what happened? Come on." She gestures for him to come into the house. Once he was inside, Henry filled Buffy in on what happened with Archie.

Buffy pounds on the door "Archie? Archie!" She opens the door slamming it closed behind her and glares angrily at Archie "What did you do? You told me not to take the fantasy away. You told me it would devastate him"  
"When a course of therapy stops working, you just adjust it." Archie tells Buffy but Buffy is unconvinced "Is it her? Did she threaten you?" "What could be strong enough to drown out your own conscience?"  
Archie stood up from the couch and glared at Buffy "I do not need to defend my professional decisions to you, okay?" Before Buffy can respond or hit him like she was tempted to her phone started to ring. She looked at the caller I.D and frowned "Hello, Madam Mayor. Nice work."  
"Are you with him?"  
"Yes, I'm with Dr. Hopper, and guess what? You left your fingerprints all over him when you tried—"  
"Not him. Henry. Is he with you?"  
Buffy starts to get worried "I dropped Henry at your office an hour ago."  
"Well, he's not here."  
"I don't know where he is." Buffy sees the expression come over Archie's face and hangs up the phone.  
"Ohh. I do." Archie tells her, looking very worried.

Buffy and Archie and his dog Pongo arrive at the mine entrance to look for Henry "Henry!" Buffy calls.  
Archie runs over to Pongo who is now by the entrance "What do you got there, Pongo?"  
Buffy walks towards Archie "I don't think he's here."  
"I think he is. Candy bar." Archie stands showing Buffy the candy bar wrapper "He had these with him." A second later the ground beneath their feet begins to shake again "Henry!" Archie shouts as he starts to make his way through the entrance to the mines.  
"Archie!" Buffy screams as she jumps into the crater from above and tries to get to him. Archie keeps going "Henry, it's not safe!"  
"Henry!" Buffy yells, but then the entrance collapses with Archie inside "Archie!". Buffy runs over to the entrance "Archie! Henry!" Buffy stares at the entrance she figures she can get through it but with that much rubble it would take hours for anyone even her.

Later Buffy is standing with Graham and Marco staring at the entrance to the mines "Archie's smart" Marco tells them "He will keep the boy safe until we get to them." The ground rumbles and Regina runs towards them "Stop! Stop! You're making it worse!"  
Buffy turns to face her "I am trying to save him. You know why he went in there in the first place, don't you? Because you made him feel like he had something to prove."  
Regina glares angrily at the blonde "And why does he think he has anything to prove? Who's encouraging him?"  
"Do not put this on me."  
"Oh, please! Lecture me until his oxygen runs out!" Regina at this point looks very close to tears and turns away from Buffy. Buffy sighs and walks over to Regina "We have to stop this. Arguing won't accomplish anything."  
Regina turns around to face Buffy "No, it won't."  
"What do you want me to do?"  
"Help me." Buffy nods "We need to find some way to...punch through the ground. We need something big."  
"Like what?"  
"Explosives." Said Marco.

Everyone stands back as the explosives are now set to go. The builder looks at Buffy "Okay. We're all clear"  
Regina who is still staring at the entrance calls out to the man, "Blow it." As she says that everyone takes cover. A moment later the explosives go off. Buffy runs over to the entrance to the mines, to see if it worked. Regina sees Buffy reappear out of the smoke "Did it work?" She asks.  
"It didn't open." Buffy tells her panting.  
Graham stares at the seen "Then what did it do?"

Regina runs over to the men who had set up the explosives "What the hell was that? You said you could do this!"  
"Madam Mayor." Buffy calls as she runs after Regina  
"They could have killed my son!"  
"I know but this isn't helping."

Marco walks over to the two women "If we knew exactly where they were, we could drill down to them, maybe...maybe rig something to bring them back up." Buffy who had noticed Pongo ran over to him, and let him out of the fire truck "Come on, buddy." Pongo runs off "It's Archie's dog. He's found something." Buffy tells the others. The dog starts to whimper showing them where they are "Look, This is where they must be. What is it?" Graham gets on his knees and moves to dirt out of the way revealing a metal board he and Marco move it out of the way revealing a metal grate "What is that?" Buffy asks.  
"It's an air shaft." Graham tells her. Marco, Graham and Regina all step back and look at each other trying to figure out how to get it open. Once they are no longer looking at her Buffy bends down gripping the grate and carefully pulls it from the ground and tosses it to the side "I got it!" She called over to the group. All of them stare at her stunned, Buffy ignored the looks "What next?"

Marco who is now setting up a lever with wire, looks at Buffy and Regina "We need to lower someone straight down or the line will collapse the sides of the shaft."  
Graham walks over "I've got a harness." He tells the group showing it to them.  
"Lower me down." Regina tells him.  
Buffy shakes her head and steps forward "Oh, no way. I'm going."  
"He's my son."  
"He's my son, too. You've been sitting behind a desk for ten years. I have done this kind of thing before. I can do this."  
Regina sighs a steps right up to Buffy "Just bring him to me." Buffy gives her a small sad smile and nods then turns to Graham taking off her jacket so she can put on the harness.

Buffy makes her way through the tunnel looking for Archie and Henry when she finally sees them a few feet below her sitting in the elevator "Are you guys okay?"

Archie smiles " Yeah, we're—we're okay." Buffy steps on the top of the elevator "Hang on, Henry." She grabs her walkie talkie "Okay. That's good. Stop." Buffy lifts the top of the elevator off moving it to the side. She turns when she hears Archie's strained voice as he lifts Henry towards her "Here you go. Up."  
Buffy grabs Henrys hand "Come on. I gotcha." She easily pulls him up "Okay. All right. I got him" Buffy tells Archie "You got him? Is he safe?" The elevator begins to shake Buffy know she doesn't have a lot of time she switches Henry so she is holding him on her left size and reaches out her left hand "Archie! Quickly grab my hand!"  
"It gonna fall!"  
"I know now grab my hand!" She yells Archie jumps up reaching for her hand just as the elevator begins to fall. Buffy grabs his hand and smiles at him. As they are pulled up Henry watches Buffy realising that she is not even bothered by either his or Archie's weight making him very curious about who she was in her past, that caused her to change her name. As the three appear from the ground Buffy hands Henry to Graham then pulls Archie up with her left hand. The crowd cheers as the three appear, while Regina pulls Henry away, Graham grabs a hold of Buffy to help her out of the harness. The second she is free Buffy runs over to Henry "Are you okay?" She asks him but Regina pushes her away "Deputy, you can clear the crowd away." Regina walks off with Henry, Buffy stands there upset and angry at the same time.

A short time later Buffy is sitting with Henry when she noticed Marco and Archie talking "Is that Archie's father?"  
Henry shakes his head "No. They're just old friends." Buffy looks over at Henry and reaches her hand over to take his "You really scared me."  
"I'm sorry."  
Buffy hears footsteps approach them and turns her head to see Marco and Archie now standing in front of her and Henry. "Gentlemen" Buffy nods at them before turning to Henry "Ahem. Well, come on your mom wants to take you home."  
"Hey. Listen." Henry tells them all. They all stop to listen, only to hear crickets chirping "Crickets." Archie says with a smile.  
"They're back." Henry turns to Buffy "Things are changing." Buffy turns to Archie for help but Archie just continues to smile at Henry.

While Buffy is talking with Graham, Marco and Archie by the fire truck while they all have celebratory drinks, Regina walks over to the grate she then removes the piece of glass that she found earlier, out of her pocket and examines it closely. After a moment she drops it letting it fall into the grate where it continues to fall until it lands next to more of the same glass. The glass from Snow White's coffin


	10. The Sheperd

The Shepherd

* * *

Buffy and Henry are sitting on a bench talking in the Nolan's house, at the welcome home party for David. "You know why he doesn't remember? The curse isn't working on him yet." Henry tells Buffy.  
Buffy watches Henry closely as she tries to explain "Henry...David has amnesia."  
Henry interjects "Which is preventing the curse from replacing his fairy tale story with fake memories."  
Buffy nods slowly "Right, because everyone here has fake stories that prevent them from remembering who they really are." Buffy says trying to remind herself.  
"Right, and now is our chance to help him. We just have to get him to remember that he's—"  
"He's Prince Charming." Buffy says finishing Henry's sentence.  
"We just have to jog his memory. By getting him and Ms. Blanchard together."  
Buffy tilts her head "Didn't we just try that?"  
"And it woke him up."  
"Hey." David says to the two of them as he walks towards them "You're the ones who saved me right?"  
Buffy stands "Oh. Yeah, I-I guess."  
"And, uh, you're also the only ones I know here."  
Buffy smiles "You can hide with us."  
"Fantastic." David says with a smile before turning to the waiter taking a stick and using it to pick up a carrot "Thank you."  
This causes Henry to smile "So...you ever use a sword?"  
David laughs at the question "I'm sorry?" David then turns to Buffy "Buffy, you live with Mary Margaret, right?" Buffy nods "You know if she's coming tonight?"  
"No, she couldn't make it."  
David looks at the ground sadly "Oh."  
A little while later Buffy is talking with Dr Whale while Henry sits on the coffee table beside them. Kathryn comes over "Have you seen David?"  
Buffy turns to the bench where she and Henry were talking to David earlier "Um...He..." Seeing he is no longer there Buffy turns to Whale, who shakes his head "No."

* * *

Buffy stands in the apartment watching as Mary Margaret scrubs the dishes like there is no tomorrow. She smiles "You might wanna ease up or that Brillo Pad's gonna press charges."  
Mary Margaret sighs "The dishes were just pilling up."  
Buffy walks towards the raven haired woman "This have anything to do with David stopping by?" Mary Margaret's head shots up her eyes widening, Buffy takes off her jacket as she explains, "I saw him sulking away as I pulled up."  
"We just..."  
"Yeah, I know what you both 'just.' And you did the right thing." Buffy sits on the stool by the counter as Mary Margaret continues to clean "He made a pretty compelling case..."  
"But he's still married. I know. I was just at the party."  
"What do I do?"  
Buffy frowns at the woman "You need to stop cleaning and have a drink." Buffy stands up and goes to get a bottle of whiskey. It's one of the few things she drinks, she still won't go near beer after the whole cave Buffy incident in college. Buffy grabs two glasses and heads towards the dinning table. Mary Margaret comes over and sits as Buffy fills the glasses "Here's the thing." Buffy says once the school teacher is sat in her seat "I don't know a lot about relationships, other than having many that failed." Buffy puts the lid back on the bottle and sits opposite Mary Margaret "But generally speaking. If you think something you wanna do is wrong...it is. So...you gotta stay strong, and he has to figure out his life." Buffy lifts her glass "Cheers." Her and Mary Margaret clink their glasses together before taking a drink.

* * *

Buffy is sat at the sheriff station waiting for Faith to answer the phone. "B, Hey how you doing?" Buffy is about to answer when she hears the clashing of swords in the background "B can you hold on a second?"  
"Umm. Sure." Buffy listens as Faith fights, a few seconds later she hears someone grunt in pain before falling to the ground. A second later Faith is back "Hey B sorry bout that. So what's up?"  
"Faith, what was that?"  
"Oh, that was some...slimy 6 eyed demon which, I do not know the name of. Apparently they have started to pop out kids here in Texas."  
Buffy starts to get confused "Wait, why are you in Texas I thought you were in Cleveland."  
"Well...Uh—you see...there was this thing...and...Willow and Dawn know I have been in contact with you." Faith rushes out the end of the sentence. The moment Buffy hears those words her heart stops, she is slowly beginning to panic "Faith do they have any idea, where I am?"  
"No. B man I didn't tell them. So your safe."  
Buffy lets out a relieved breath and calms down "Thank you, Faith."  
"It's five by five B. Now tell me why you called."  
"I need a favour. Regina knew things about me, Sunnydale, my aliases and more. I was wondering if you could maybe talk to that warlock that helped you. See if he could find out how."  
"Sure B. Can do. Might take a while though. The man travels a lot but I will try."  
"Thank you Faith."  
"It's cool B, look I gotta go, two more ugly ass demons just showed up." Faith hangs up the phone while Buffy laughs slightly at Faith's description, as it is the same one Buffy herself has used many times before.

Buffy sighs then reaches across her desk picking up a case file. Graham walks into the office holding a box of donuts, he walks in front of Buffy opening the box. "Sometimes the clichés are true."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Okay. What do you want?"  
Graham sighs "Remember when I said no night shifts. I need you to work tonight. Just this once."  
Buffy pouts "Why?"  
"I volunteer at an animal shelter, and the supervisor is sick and someone needs to feed the dogs."  
Buffy huffs slightly then looks at the box of donuts "Very lucky you brought a bear claw." Graham smiles as Buffy takes the bear claw biting into it. Buffy smiles at Graham then turns towards the door when she hears Mary Margaret enter "Buffy, can I talk to you for a minute?"  
Graham places the box on Buffy's table "I'll just go patrol my office." Buffy thanks Graham as he walks towards his office then turns her attention to Mary Margaret.  
"He left his wife. David—He left her." Buffy's eyes widen in shock "He left Kathryn."  
"Okay." Buffy says trying to calm the very excited teacher "Slow down."  
Mary Margaret just keeps going "He—he did it for me. He wants me to be with him. He wants me to meet him tonight. I mean, I'm trying so hard to be strong, but he just keeps coming. I mean, how do I stop it? You know, how do I let him down? What would you do?"  
Mary Margaret finally stops speaking giving Buffy a chance to consider it. Buffy thought about Angel and their doomed relationship. The idea of being able to be with the person you love is something you don't let go of. Now Mary Margaret has had that idea become reality, she turns to her friend "I'd go." She tells her.  
Mary Margaret was clearly not expecting that answer "What?"  
"Well, he left her. It's one thing to say that he wants you, but it's another to actually make a choice, and now he has. That's all you can ask for."  
"Given her new friendship with Kathryn, I don't think Regina would be very happy."  
Buffy sighs "Yet another reason to do it." Buffy tells her before taking another bite of the bear claw.  
Mary Margaret chuckles slightly is disbelief "Good lord. Is this really happening?"  
Buffy smiles "You tell me."

* * *

Buffy is driving around town on the night shift. As she drives by the mayor's house she sees someone climbing out of the second story window. Buffy quickly stops the car and climbs out, she quietly closes the door and walks over to the hedge waiting for the intruder to appear. When he appears Buffy swings a leg around kicking him in the stomach. The man grunts in pain as he falls to the ground, it's then that she see who it is. Graham. "This is volunteering?"  
Graham is still trying to catch his breath as he answers "Plans...changed. Regina needed me to—"  
"Sleep with her?" Buffy interrupted looking at Graham is disbelief.  
"No."  
Buffy who is now panting looks at Graham as he stands "Then...why were you...sneaking out the window?"  
"Uh, because...she didn't want Henry to know."  
A look of shock and disgust crosses Buffy's face "You did this with Henry in the house?"  
"He's sleeping. He doesn't know."  
"Oh, my god. I wish I was Henry right now. This is disgusting. Like majorly, top of the grossness scale, disgusting."  
"I really do work at an animal shelter."  
"You can finish my shift. I'm done working nights." Buffy tells Graham as she tosses him the car keys. Buffy then turns away from Graham walking away with a miserable look on her face.


	11. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

* * *

 _There is a town in Main_

 _Where every storybook character you've ever know..._

 _Is trapped between two worlds..._

 _Victims of a powerful curse..._

 _That can only be broken by one person._

* * *

Buffy came out of the bathroom at Granny's and as she turned the corner back into the dinner she saW Graham playing darts. Ruby who was standing behind Graham, was now watching her; she smiles at Buffy "Buffy, what can I get you?"  
"Nothing." Buffy says as she walks past Graham and heads for the door, as she reaches the door a dart appears in the wall next to her face, she turns slightly pissed off to see Graham "What the hell? You could have hit me."  
Graham shrugs as he moves towards her "I never miss." Buffy turns to face Graham crossing her arms as she does "You've been avoiding me...Since last night when you saw me."  
"Leaving the Mayor's? And, yes, that is a euphemism. I'm not avoiding you, Graham. I just have no interest in having this conversation. It's your life, and I really don't care." Buffy turns away from him and exists the dinner.

As Buffy walked down the road away from Granny's Graham runs after her "If you don't care, then why are you so upset?"  
"I'm not upset!" Buffy told him as she continued to walk away.  
"If that were true, you'd be at the bar with me having a drink and not running away." Graham runs in front of her, causing Buffy to stop for a moment "It's none of my business, really." She said as she walked around him.  
Graham continued to follow her "Can we please talk about this? I need you to understand."  
Graham grabbed Buffy's arm causing her to stop again "Why?"  
He just shrugged "I don't know. Uh, maybe so I can understand."  
"You need analysis, go talk to Archie."  
"I wanna talk to you."  
Buffy sighs "Well, your bad judgment is your problem, not mine." She tells him before walking away again.  
Graham follows her again "You don't know what it's like with her." Graham steps in front of her causing her to stop again "I don't feel anything. Can you understand that?"  
"Feeling nothing. Yes I can understand that, I went through that for a while. But I also understand a bad relationship. And I just don't wanna talk about yours."  
"Look, I know you and Regina have your own issues, and I should've told you about that before you took the job."  
"Yeah, why the secrecy? We're all adults. You can do whatever you want."  
"Cause I-I didn't want you to look at me the way you are now."  
"Why do you care how I look at you?"  
"Because..."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "What?"  
Graham didn't answer instead he placed both his hands on the side of her face and kissed her. The moment his lips meet hers, Graham starts seeing flashes of the forest and a wolf.  
Buffy was shocked and froze for a moment before pushing him away "What the hell was that?"  
Graham looks at her confused "Did you see that?"  
"How much have you been drinking? That was way over the line."  
"I'm sorry. I just—"  
"What? You what?" Buffy exclaimed.  
"I need to feel something."  
Buffy was quickly reminded of her 'relationship' with Spike and how she used him because she couldn't feel anything. Buffy shook herself out of the memories and stared at Graham "Listen to me, Graham. You are drunk and full of regret. I get it, I have been in the same position before. But let me make myself clear whatever it is you are looking to feel, I can tell you one thing. You're not getting it with me." Buffy stared at him for another moment before walking off in the opposite direction.

* * *

The next morning Buffy is coming downstairs from her room when she sees the bouquet of flowers on the table "Really?" Buffy rolls her eyes as she picks up the flowers and heads the bin, Mary Margaret notices and comes running towards Buffy "Oh! Hey, wait. What are you doing?"  
Buffy dumps the flowers in the rubbish then turns to Mary Margaret "If Graham thinks flowers will work on me..."  
Mary Margaret interrupts "No, those...were mine."  
"Oh. From David?" Buffy asks as she puts on a jumper.  
"No. Uh...Dr. Whale."  
"Why would Dr. Whale..." Mary Margaret turns giving Buffy a look which makes everything obvious "Are you serious?"  
"I know. It's a disaster."  
"No. That's amazing. You're getting over David."  
"Mm, first of all, there's nothing to get over, and second of all, it's just a one-night stand."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow as she grabs the juice from the kitchen "Not according to those flowers."  
"Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have called him."  
"Oh, my god. You called him? That is definitely not a one-night stand."  
"Well, okay, I'm still learning. I...I've never had one before. I feel guilty."  
"Why? There's nothing wrong with what you did. Trust me. After my last relationship, one-nighters are a far as I ever go."  
"Yeah, but that's because you're..."  
Buffy watches Mary Margaret closely "because...I'm what?"  
Mary Margaret quickly looks away from the blonde's gaze "Never mind."  
"No, tell me. What do I do?"  
"You're just protecting yourself..." Buffy frowns "With that wall you put up."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Just because I don't get emotional over men."  
"You don't get emotional over men? Uh, the floral abuse tells a different story."  
Buffy walks over to the table after finishing with the juice and looks at Mary Margaret "What story is that?"  
"The one that's obvious to everyone except, apparently, you, that you have feelings for Graham."  
Buffy tilts her head in disbelief "Come on."  
"There's that wall."  
"That's not a wall."  
"Really?"  
"There's nothing wrong with being cautious and considering my history with men I'm just... extra cautious."  
"Oh, true. True. But, Buffy, that wall of yours—it may keep out pain, but it may also keep out love."  
Buffy watches Mary Margaret walk away from her with the flowers and sighs, she thinks of Angel and Riley and even Spike, whispering slightly to herself "I don't believe in love. Not anymore."

* * *

Later Buffy is at the Sheriff station filing through paperwork, she walks over to her desk placing a file on it. She picks up the dart on her desk and faces the dart board she throws the dart at the board, it hits the centre but due to the strength of her throw it goes right through the board. "Our tax dollars hard at work, I see." Comes from a voice on the other end of the room. Buffy turns to see Regina and rolls her eyes "Graham isn't here. I assumed he'd took a sick day... with you."  
Regina starts to walk closer to Buffy "Oh, so you're aware of us. Good. That's why I'm here. Because I'm also aware of your relationship with him."  
"I don't have a relationship with him." Buffy tells Regina before heading back to her desk. "Oh? So nothing's ever happened between the two of you?" Buffy hears Regina ask her "You forget, Ms. Summers. I have eyes everywhere."  
Buffy rolls her eyes at the Mayor "Nothing that meant anything."  
"Well, of course not, because you're incapable of feeling anything for anyone. Even your own sister, am I right? There's a reason you're alone, isn't there?"  
Buffy drops the smile off her face "With all due respect. You don't know a thing about my sister. And the way I live my life, is my business."  
"It is until it interferes on my life. Stay away from Graham. You may think you're doing nothing, but you're putting thoughts in his head—thoughts that are not in his best interests. You are leading him on a path to self-destruction. Stay away."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow at the mayor's statement and then watches as she leaves the office.

* * *

Buffy is parked outside the Mayor's house sitting in her car when Graham comes out "Hey" Buffy says as she climbs out of the car, closing the door behind her. She walks towards him "I hear you're having a rough day."  
"Who says?" Graham asks as he stops walking and stares at her.  
Buffy shrugs "Pretty much everyone, I asked around there is a theory that you are not of the, Ok, at the moment. I think maybe you need to go home and get some rest."  
"I'm fine." Graham tells her and tries to walk away.  
"No Graham your not fine. You just went to see a 10-year-old for help."  
Graham stops and turns to face Buffy "He's the only one making any sense."  
"What's going on? What's...really going on?"  
"It's my heart, Buffy. I need to find it."  
"Okay. So...how are you gonna do that?"  
"I just need to follow the wolf."  
Buffy looks at Graham confused "What? What wolf?"  
"From my dreams. He's gonna help me find my heart."  
Buffy frowns "I'm sorry. I...thought we were talking in a metaphor here. You really think you don't have a heart?"  
Graham nods "It's the only thing that makes any sense. It's the only thing that explains why I don't feel anything."  
Buffy takes a step closer to Graham "Listen to me, Graham. You have a heart. I can prove it." Buffy takes another step towards him then slowly places her hand over his heart, she looks at him and smiles "See? It's beating. It's real."  
Graham just shakes his head again refusing to believe her so Buffy takes his hand in hers and lifts it placing it over his heart keeping her hand on his "Feel that. That is your heart."  
Graham steps back shaking his head "No. It's the curse."  
Buffy sighs "You can't really believe that's true." At that moment Buffy's eyes widen as she sees a white wolf standing on the opposite end of the room "What?" Graham asks having noticed her expression turns around to see the wolf. Graham runs after the wolf while Buffy runs after Graham.

* * *

Buffy and Graham continue to run after the wolf as it runs into the graveyard. Graham comes to a stop and Buffy comes to stand behind him "Graham. Be careful."  
Graham shook his head "He's my friend. He won't hurt us." Graham tells Buffy as he moves towards the wold who is now stood still, watching the two of them. The wolf howls before walking away, Graham moves to follow it while Buffy rolls her eyes before going after Graham. The two stop in from of a mausoleum and Graham turns to face it seeing the symbol at the top, Buffy looks to where Graham is focusing "What is it?" Buffy asks slightly confused. Graham turns to Buffy "It's my heart. It's in there."  
Graham quickly grabs a flashlight from his pocket and moves towards the door "I have to look in there."  
"Oh, No. Stop, stop." Buffy grabs Graham's arm causing him to stop.  
"I have to get in there. Please."  
"Graham, come on. You really think that your heart is in there?"  
Graham nods causing Buffy to sigh "Okay. Let's find out." Buffy walks towards the door when she tries to open it she realises it's locked she moves right in front of the door so Graham won't see as she pulls on the handle hard shattering the lock. She pushes the door open and the two enter the room. The room is empty other than the casket.  
"It's got to be in here...somewhere" Graham says to himself as he starts to search the room. Buffy closes the door behind her and watches Graham "There's gotta be a hidden door." Graham says with a strained voice "A lever..." Graham stands from his crouched position by the casket and picks up the blue vase trying to pry it open. When it doesn't budge he puts it back down and continues to search "Something..."  
Buffy moves in front of Graham causing him to stop moving "Graham. Hey, Graham. There's nothing in here."  
Graham looks down at Buffy "There has to be. And if there isn't, then—"  
"it's okay. It's going to be okay."

The two look at each other for a moment but then turn their heads when they hear a voice from outside "What the hell do you think you're doing?"  
The two of them step outside the mausoleum and see Regina glaring at the both of them. "What are you doing here?" Buffy asks as she comes out the door.  
Regina shows Buffy the flowers in her hand "Bringing flowers to my father's grave. Like I do every Wednesday."  
Graham steps around Buffy facing Regina "Don't blame her. It's my fault. I wanted to look in there."  
Regina looks at Graham confused "Really? Why? What were you looking for?"  
"Nothing. It was, uh... it was nothing."  
"You don't look well, dear. Let's take you home." Regina grabs Graham's arm and tries to drag him off but he pulls his arm from her grasp "No, I-I don't want to go home. Not with you." Buffy watches the conversation intently as Regina looks at Graham stunned "Oh? But you'll go with her."  
Regina stares angrily at Buffy who looks at the two "Hey, I'm no Yoko, this is between you two. Leave me out of it."  
"She's right." Graham says to Regina "It's between us, and things have to change."  
Regina takes a step closer to Graham "And I wonder why that is all of a sudden."  
"It has nothing to do with her. You know I've realised that I don't feel anything, Regina, and I know now it's not me. It's you."  
"So you're leaving me for her."  
"I'm leaving you for me."  
"Graham, you're not thinking straight."  
"Actually, for the first time, I am. I'd rather have nothing than settle for less. Nothing is better than what we have. I need to feel something, Regina, and the only way to do that is to give myself the chance." Buffy smiles slightly as Graham speaks and continues to watch as Regina stepped closer to him "Graham."  
"I'm sorry. It's over." Graham tells Regina as he backs away from her. Regina gasps slightly before sending a hateful gaze in Buffy's direction. "I don't know what I ever did to you, Ms. Summers to deserve this—To have you keep coming after everything I hold dear."  
Buffy raises a eyebrow at the Mayor while Graham argues "I told you, it's not her."  
"None of this happened until she got here."  
Buffy rolled her eyes "I'm sorry, but have you ever stopped too think that maybe the problem isn't with me, but with you?"  
"Excuse me?"  
"Henry came and found me. Graham... kissed me. Both were miserable. Maybe, Madame Mayor, you need to take a good, hard look in the mirror and ask yourself why that is. Why is everyone running away from you?"  
Regina stares at Buffy for a moment before a smirk covers her face. Regina then lifts her fist punching Buffy in the face. Buffy barely moves as the fist connects with her face. "Regina!" Graham yelled at Regina. But Regina ignored him she went to punch Buffy again but this time Buffy caught her fist mid air, Regina stared in shock as she tried to move her fist from Buffy grasp, but was not able to make it budge. Buffy tilts her head "You hit like a girl." She says then punches Regina in the face. Not as hard as she would have liked but hard enough that it will hurt like hell. Regina falls to the ground a few feet away, completely stunned by the small blonde's strength. Buffy walks over to the mayor "Not worth it." She says before walking off. Buffy listens as Regina tries to talk to Graham but he ignores her and follows Buffy.

* * *

Later Graham and Buffy are back at the station with Buffy sitting on one of the tables while Graham grabs an icepack from the first aid box. "I'm sorry." Graham sighs, as he walks over to Buffy.  
Buffy takes to ice pack pretending to wince as she places it on the side of her eye "I've had worse." Buffy laughs slightly.  
"I don't know what came over me, how I lost my mind."  
"It's okay. You were tired and feverish...and heartbroken."  
"I don't know why I let myself get caught up with her."  
"Because it was easy and safe. Not feeling anything's an attractive option when what you feel sucks."  
Graham smiles, taking the ice pack off Buffy. He then moves the hair out of her face and brings a cotton swab to the small wound. When it touches the wound Buffy pretends to wince again not wanting to add suspicion after he had already seen her practically throw Regina without batting an eye "Felt that." Graham chuckles, a few moments later he removes the cotton swab "All better."  
"Yeah." Buffy says as she watches Graham put away the first aid box. When Graham turns back around he sees Buffy with a soft smile on her face "What?" Graham asks with a smile on his own face. Buffy slowly stands from her seat and walks over to Graham she looks up at him before slowly leaning in pressing a kiss on his lips. Graham kisses her back placing his hands on her hips, but then he has another flash which reveals to him his true memories. Graham gasps backing slightly away from Buffy "Graham?" "You ok?"  
Graham looks up at Buffy "I remember."  
Buffy watches him confused "Graham?"  
"I remember." Graham whispers as he stands back up and steps towards Buffy.  
"You remember what?"  
Graham steps closer taking Buffy's face in his hands, he smiles at her as a tear falls down his check "Thank you." Buffy smiles softly; they both lean in for another kiss but right before their lips touch Graham falls to the side grunting in pain "Graham!" Buffy yells as he falls to the ground, Buffy quickly bends down lifting his head into her lap "Graham!" she screams again and again. When she realises he is dead she leans back against the table sobbing.


	12. Desperate Souls

Desperate Souls

* * *

 _Every storybook character you've ever know..._

 _Is trapped between two worlds..._

 _Victims of a powerful curse..._

 _Only one knows the truth..._

 _And she'll stop at nothing..._

 _Till someone breaks the spell._

* * *

Buffy enter Gold's pawn shop to see it empty "Gold? You in here?" When Buffy hears Gold whisper to himself from the back room she heads towards the room moving the curtains out of the way to get inside. The moment she enters the room, the smell hit her "Whoa. What is that?"  
Gold looks up from his desk at the blonde slayer "Oh, this is Lanolin. Used for waterproofing."  
Buffy looks at the liquid in disgust "It smells like one of my sister's cooking experiments."  
"Well, it is the reason why sheep's wool repels water."  
"It stinks. Um, if there was a reason you called the sheriff's department, if you want to talk about that quickly or outside—"  
"Yes." Gold says as he gets up from his seat and moves towards Buffy "I just wanted to, uh, express my condolences, really. The sheriff was a good man. You're still wearing the deputy's badge." Buffy's eyes widen as she brings her hand to the badge, listening as Gold continues "Well, he's been gone two week now. And I believe that after two weeks of acting as sheriff, the job becomes yours. You'll have to wear the real badge."  
A sad expression crosses Buffy's face "Yeah, I guess. I'm just not in a hurry. So, um, thank you for the kind words." Buffy gives Gold a small smile before turning and exiting the back room going back into the shop. Gold clears his throat as he follows her "I have his things."  
Buffy turns confused "What?"  
"The Sheriff." Gold clarifies as he moves to stand behind the counter "He rented an apartment that I own. Another reason for my call, really. I wanted to offer you a keepsake."  
"I don't need anything." Buffy tells him.  
"As you wish. I'll give them to Mayor Mills. It seems like she was the closest thing he had to family."  
Buffy was not so happy with that "I'm not sure about that."  
"No love lost there, I see." Gold opens the lid of the box on the counter "Look, I fear that all of this stuff is headed directly for the trash bin. You really should take something. Look. His jacket."  
Buffy shakes her head "No."  
"Oh. Well, look. Your boy might like these, don't you think? You could play together." Gold set the set of Walkie Talkie's in front of Buffy, who stares at it very hesitant "I don't—"  
But Gold insisted "No, please. They...they grow up so fast."  
"Thanks." Buffy says as she picks up the toys.  
"You enjoy these with your boy. Your time together is precious, you know? That's the thing about children—before you know it...you lose them." Buffy gives Gold an odd look before heading out to go meet Henry.

* * *

Buffy finds an upset Henry sitting in his castle. She climbs up and comes to sit next to him. "Brought you something." Buffy tells him as she hands him one of the Walkie Talkies "Ah. Thought we could use them together for operation cobra."  
Henry stares sadly at the walkie in his hands "Thanks."  
Buffy bumps Henry's shoulder with her own "Oh, come on. What's up? You've been ducking me for weeks. No one's tried to duck me that much since high school."  
"I think we should stop cobra stuff for a while. You don't play with a curse. Look what happened to Graham."  
Buffy sighs sadly "Henry, I told you. They did an autopsy. It's totally natural causes. Completely and totally natural."  
"Okay, whatever. Don't believe. Good. That should keep you from messing with it and getting killed."  
"You're worried about me?"  
Henry looks at Buffy sadly "She killed Graham because he was good. And you're good."  
"Henry..."  
"Good loses. Good always loses, because good has to play fair. Evil doesn't. She's vil."  
Before Henry can finish his thought Buffy interrupts "Henry listen to me. You don't need to worry about me. Look I'm gonna tell you something. A lot of people over the years have tried to kill me. But good can win I have seen it over and over."  
Henry just shakes his head "No. Good always loses. It's probably for the best I don't want to upset her any more. Henry stood up handing Buffy the walkie talkie before leaving.

* * *

Later Buffy is at the station. She stares at the Sheriff's badge, which she has placed on her desk. She slowly picks it up and examines it, she is about to put it on when a voice come in from behind her "Oh. I'm sorry." Buffy turns to see Regina "That's not for you."  
"It's been two weeks." Buffy tells her "Promotion is automatic."  
"Unless the Mayor appoints someone else within the time period, which I'm doing today." Regina informs her as she moves closer.  
Buffy tilts her head "So who's it gonna be?"  
"After due reflection, Sidney Glass."  
Buffy looks at the Mayor shocked "Sidney from the newspaper? How does that even make sense."  
"Well, he's covered the Sheriff's office for as long as anyone can remember."  
"And he'll do whatever you want him to. You just cannot stand the fact that things have been getting better around here, can you?"  
Regina frowns at the blonde "Better? Are you referring to Graham's death as better?"  
"No."  
"He was a good man, Ms. Summers. He made this town safe, and forgive me for saying it, but you have not earned the right to wear his badge."  
Buffy places the badge back on the table and glares at Regina "Graham picked me...to be deputy."  
"He was wrong."  
"No, he knew what he was doing. He freed this office from your leash. You're not getting it back."  
"Actually, I just did. Ms. Summers, you're fired." Regina grabs the badge and walks out of the sheriff's office.

* * *

Later that night while listening to rock music Buffy is hitting a punching bag, which she had brought on the way back from the station. After breaking the toaster and drinking half a bottle of whiskey Buffy had started hitting the bag. Mary Margaret entered the apartment just as Buffy gave the bag a final punch causing it to fall off the handle. Buffy walks back into the kitchen and tries to fix the toaster while Mary Margaret switches off the music "Toaster Broken?"  
Buffy sighs "It wasn't when I started with it. But then again, neither was that" Buffy points at the broken punching bag "pretty sure the toaster is broken now though. I just needed to hit something. Hence the broken bag and broken toaster."  
"What's going on?" Mary Margaret asks as she places her bag on the counter.  
"Regina fired me so she could put one of her own puppets in as Sheriff. That's my job."  
"Never heard you so passionate about it before. What happened?"  
"I don't know. I just...I know I want it back."  
"There must be a reason."  
There is a knock at the door Buffy put the toaster down and sighs "Maybe...I just want to beat her." Buffy says before walking over to the door and opening it to reveal Mr. Gold. "Good evening, Ms. Summers. Sorry for the intrusion. There's something I'd like to discuss with you."  
Buffy turns to look at Mary Margaret who gives her a smile "I'll let you two talk." She then quickly leaves the room leaving Gold and Buffy alone.  
Buffy turns her attention to Gold and sighs "Come on in."  
"Thank you." He says as he enters. As he enters he sees the broken punching bag on the floor and smirks. The smirk disappears as he turns to Buffy "I heard about what happened. Such an injustice."  
Buffy shuts the door and walks over to the kitchen "Yeah, well, what's done is done."  
"Spoken like a true fighter." Gold says sarcastically.  
"I don't know what chance I have. She's mayor, and I'm...well...me."  
"Ms. Summers, two people with a common goal can accomplish many things. Two people with a common enemy...can accomplish even more. How would you like a benefactor?"  
Buffy looks at him skeptically "A benefactor?"  
"Do you mind?" Gold gestures to the table Buffy shakes her head and the two sit down. "You know...it is...quite shocking how few people study the town charter."  
"The town charter?" Buffy asks slightly confused.  
"Well, it's quite comprehensive. And the Mayor's authority? Well, maybe she's not quite as powerful as she seems." This causes Buffy to smile as she watches Gold open the town charter.

* * *

Willow sits in one of the private room in the house, waiting for Dawn. "Willow, what's wrong you haven't talked since you got back from New Orleans." Dawn says as she enters the room and sits opposite the witch.  
"I wanted to talk to you about Buffy. Without Xander around. He is still upset over Anya and I think he is just projecting that anger on Buffy, because she is not here."  
Dawn nods in agreement and listens to the red head "Anyway when I spoke to the man who helped, Buffy he mentioned that Angel was the one that helped Buffy, so I did some old fashioned hacking and found something. After Buffy disappeared Angel sent several e-mails to an address under the name of Emma Swan. I was able to track down her driver's license and look" Willow showed Dawn the screen on the laptop to reveal a driver's licence with the name Emma Swan on it, next to a picture of Buffy. "Buffy." Dawn said with a relieved breath.  
"Yes and that's not even the best news. Turns out Angel was calling a number every month before L.A went down under. The same number Faith was calling. Look I don't know if she still uses this number but it's worth a shot." Willow wrote down the number on a piece of paper and handed it to Dawn. "I thought if she would talk to any of us, it would be you."

* * *

"Hang on a second." Buffy says as she enters the Mayor's office during the press conference. As she enters Regina freezes, before she can put the badge on Sidney. Everyone turns to face Buffy "Oh, Ms. Summers, this is not appropriate." Regina says as she glares at the blonde.  
Buffy walks towards Regina "The only thing not appropriate is this ceremony. She does not have the power to appoint him."  
Regina smirks "The town charter clearly states 'They Mayor shall appoint'—"  
"A candidate." Buffy interrupts "You can appoint a candidate. It calls for an election."  
"The term 'candidate' is applied loosely."  
"No, it's not. It requires a vote. And guess what, Madame Mayor—I'm running."  
"Fine. So is Sidney."  
"I am?" Sidney asks from behind Regina who turns to face him "I am."  
The Mayor smiles "With my full support. I'll guess we'll learn a little something about the will of the people."  
"I guess we will."

* * *

Later that day Buffy walks into Granny's and goes to sit next to Henry who is reading the paper "How was school?"  
Henry doesn't look at her "Okay."  
"You're reading that paper pretty hard. Like if you do it's gonna turn into a comic book or something. Or even better a piece of pie...crap now I kind of want some pie."  
Henry turns over the paper "Sidney wrote it." He tells Buffy before handing her the paper. Buffy reads the title 'Ex-Jailbird – Buffy Summers birthed babe at 16 after being arrested.'  
"Is it a lie?"  
Buffy hesitates for a moment "No."  
"I was born in jail?"  
"Yes...No...well technically you were born in a small hospital inside the jail. There were never any records made. Tell me you're not scarred for life."  
"I'm not. Well, not by this."  
"Good." Buffy picks up the paper "Then let's throw this out, and we will get our news from something more reliable, like the internet."  
"That's what I've been trying to tell you. Good can't beat evil because good doesn't do this kind of thing. My mum plays dirty. That's why you can't beat her, ever."  
"I have a new ally." Buffy argues "Mr. Gold said he's gonna help."  
"Mr. Gold? He's even worse than she is. You already owe him one favour. You don't want to owe him any more. Don't do this."

* * *

After leaving Granny's Buffy storms into Regina's office "How the hell did you get this? There were never ever records made."  
Regina shrugs "Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't want people to know you cut his cord with a shiv?"  
"I don't care what people know, but this hurts Henry."  
"He would've learned eventually. We all lose our heroes at some point."  
Buffy stares at Regina in disbelief "He doesn't need to lose anything more." Buffy starts to follow Regina as she leaves the room "He's depressed, Madam Mayor. He doesn't have any...any hope. Don't you see that?"  
"He's fine."  
"He's not fine. I mean, think about it—watching his adoptive mother throw an illegal smear campaign against his birth mother. You don't think that would be upsetting?"  
"All I did was expose him to the truth and as for legality I did nothing wrong. But you and Sidney will have a chance to get into all that at the debate."  
"Debate?" Buffy asks confused.  
"Yes, Ms. Summers, there's a debate." Regina turns away from Buffy and starts to go down the stairs heading for the exit "You two can talk about jail time and non-existent records and maybe even your new association with Mr. Gold. He's a snake, Ms. Summers. You need to be careful who you get into bed with."

Buffy thought about the Mayor's ascension in Sunnydale for a spilt second before responding "I'n not getting into bed with anyone. I'm just fighting fire with—" Before Buffy could finish her sentence Regina opened the door only to be blown backwards by the force of the fire, which was filling the next room. Buffy sits up from her place on the floor and lifts the ladder which had fallen on Regina's legs and throws it to the side "All right. Come on. Let's go. We gotta get out of here."  
"I can't move!" Regina screams "You have to get me out. Help me." Buffy hesitates trying to think of what to do next when an idea pops into her head, she moves around Regina and heads for the door, Regina grabs her "You're gonna leave me, aren't you?" Buffy snatches her arm back and jumps through the fire she grabs the fire extinguisher from the opposite room and runs back. She puts out the fire and grabs Regina pulling her up and dragging her out of the room. Buffy kicks the exit door knocking it off it's hinges and onto the ground and pulls a couching Regina outside. As the get outside a photographer snaps their photo, while Regina yells at Buffy "Oh! Oh! Ow! My ankle! Set me down gently!"  
"Seriously? You're complaining about how I saved your life?"  
"The fireman are here. It's not like we were really in danger."  
Buffy coughs "Fine. Next time, I'll just—no, you know what? Next time, I'll do the same thing and the time after that, because that is what decent human beings do. That's what good people do."

A little while later after the doctor had checked Buffy even though she had assured him she was fine, she was standing with Archie, Ruby, Granny and Mary Margaret.  
"Did you really rescue Regina?" Mary Margaret asks.  
Before Buffy can answer Henry runs over "She did. The fireman said it. They saw it."  
Ruby looks at Buffy "You are a hero." Buffy smiles, it had been a long time since anyone had called her a hero.  
"We should see if they have a picture of the rescue" Mary Margaret suggests.  
"We can make campaign poster." Granny says with a excited smile on her face.  
"Oh, people would love that." Archie agrees "That's a great idea." The four of them then walk off discussing plans for the posters while Buffy turns to Henry. She crouches down in front of him "This is how good wins. You do something good, and people see it and then they wanna help you."  
Henry smiles "Maybe you're right."  
Buffy smiles and stands "See Henry. We don't have to fight dirty." Buffy turns slightly to look at the scene when she see a piece of the wool Gold was working on earlier.

* * *

After leaving the Mayor's office Buffy heads the Gold's shop. As she walks in Gold turns to look at her "Loads of visitors today." Buffy slams the door shut and stares at Gold in disbelief "I do hope you're not gonna break my little bell."  
Buffy ignores him and walks further into the shop "You set the fire."  
Gold scoffs "I've been right here, Ms. Summers."  
Buffy holds out the wool "Take a whiff. It smells like your sheep crap oil. Turns out it's flammable."  
"Well, are you sure? There's some construction working on at City Hall at the moment. There's loads of flammable solvents used in construction."  
"Why did you do it?"  
"If I did it, that would be because you cannot win without something big, something like, uh, oh, I don't know, being the hero in a fire? Didn't being the town hero in Sunnydale  
work out well for you?"  
Buffy ignores the Sunnydale comment and glares at Gold "How could you even know I'd be there at the right time?"  
"Maybe Regina's not the only one with eyes and ears in this town or maybe...I'm just intuitive. Were I involved."  
"I could've run and left her there."  
"Not the type." Gold argues.  
"I can't go along with this."  
"You just did. This is just the price of election, Ms. Summers."  
"A price I'm not willing to pay." Buffy drops the wool on the counter "Find another sucker."  
"Okay, go ahead. Expose me. But if you do, just think about what you'll be exposing and what you'll be walking away from." Buffy turns away from Gold and starts to head for the door as she does she hears Gold "Oh, yes, and, uh, who you might be disappointing." As Buffy opens the door she glares at Gold once more before walking off.

* * *

On election day Buffy is sitting backstage watching Henry through the curtain. Henry sees her and smiles, she smiles back then turns her attention to Mary Margaret who is handing her some flashcards and a bottle of water "I'm not gonna win." Buffy tells the school teacher.  
"What are you talking about?" Mary Margaret says with a smile "Everyone's talking about what you did in the fire."  
"No, Henry's right. I can't beat Regina at this, not the way she fights. This isn't Sunnydale I can't fight the way I would have before, I won't win. Watch and see."  
"Is this really just about beating Regina?"  
Buffy sighs and pulls the curtain back again to see Henry "It's just..."  
"Henry."  
"I want to show him that good can actually win."  
Mary Margaret comes to the realisation "That's why you want to win it for him, but why do you want to win the election for yourself?"  
"That is why. I want to show him that a hero can win. And if I'm not...If I'm not a hero and I'm not the saviour, then what part do I have in his life? Okay. There it is."  
"There it is."  
Buffy smiles then goes back to watching Henry she then notices Mr. Gold enter the room who is now looking straight at her with a smirk on his face.

Buffy listens to Sidney's speech waiting for her turn when Archie walks up to the podium "And Buffy Summers."

Buffy walks over to the mike "You guys all know I have...what they call a, uh, troubled past, but you've been able to overlook it because of the, um...hero thing. But here's the thing...the fire was a setup. Mr. Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn't know that that meant he was going to set a fire. I don't have definitive evidence, but I'm sure. And the worst part of all of this was...the worst part of all of this is I let you all think it was real...and I can't win that way. I'm sorry." Buffy turns her focus away from Henry and sees Mr. Gold leaving the room. Buffy then walks away from podium and leaves the hall.

* * *

Later Buffy is sitting at the bar at Granny's drinking whiskey when Ruby comes over "Another?"  
Buffy gives the girl a soft smile "Oh, hell, yes." Ruby takes Buffy's glass just as Henry enters the dinner. "Hey, Henry." Buffy says as he walks towards her. Henry reaches into his backpack and pulls out the walkie talkie handing it the Buffy. "What's this for?"  
Henry smiles "You stood up to Mr. Gold." Henry tells her as he climbs into the seat next to her "It's pretty amazing."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, he did something illegal."  
"That's what heroes do—expose stuff like that." At that point Ruby comes over placing a cup of milk in front of Henry and another whiskey in front of Buffy. As she does Henry whispers to Buffy "I shouldn't have given up on operation cobra." Buffy smiles at Henry just as Regina and Sidney enter the dinner "I thought I might find you here...with a drink. And my son."  
"Here to card me, officer?" Buffy asks Sidney.  
"Well, not at all. In fact, I think I'll join you."  
"Here? I don't know. I think they're setting up a back from for the victory party."  
"Well, you'll have to tell me what that's like."  
Buffy looks at the two confused then sees Regina holding the sheriffs badge "Congratulations...Sheriff Summers." Regina says as she places the badge on the counter. Henry breaks into a smile "Wait. What?"  
"It was a very close vote." Regina tells them as everyone starts to enter the dinner "But people really seem to like the idea of a sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold."  
"Are you joking?" Buffy asks Regina only to have Sidney answer "She doesn't joke."  
Regina ignores Sidney "You didn't pick a great friend in Mr. Gold, Ms. Summers...but he does make a superlative enemy." Regina gives her a smile "Enjoy that."

* * *

The next morning Buffy arrives at the Station, as she is putting her work in her office she notices Graham jacket hanging on the peg in the corner. Buffy turns to see Mr. Gold "The sheriff's jacket—I thought you might want it after all."  
"You do know I'm armed, right?"  
"And here I thought you didn't like guns."  
Buffy smirks "I didn't say I had a gun, I just said I was armed."  
Gold smirks "Anyway, it's all part of the act, my dear. Political theater in an actual theater. I knew no one was gonna vote for you unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality. And I'm afraid saving old Regina's arse from the fire just wasn't gonna do that. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me, and they did."  
Buffy's eyes widen "No way. There is no way you planned that."  
"Everyone's afraid of Regina, but they're more afraid of me. By standing up to me, you won them over. It was the only way."  
Buffy crosses her arms "You knew I'd agree."  
"Oh, yeah. I know how to recognise a desperate soul."  
"Why did you do this?"  
"We made a deal some time back, Ms. Summers. We established that you owed me a favour. I know that can be a bad feeling—owing someone. Now that you're sheriff, I'm sure we'll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me." As Gold turns to leave the run he calls out "Congratulations." Before leaving the station.


	13. True North

True North

* * *

 _Every storybook character you've ever know..._

 _Is trapped between two worlds..._

 _Victims of a powerful curse..._

 _Only one knows the truth..._

 _And she'll stop at nothing..._

 _Till someone breaks the spell._

* * *

Buffy shows up at the convenience store after a call to the station only to see Henry and Regina "Henry. What happened?"  
Regina glared at the blonde "Ms. Summers, must I remind you that genetics mean nothing? You're not his mother, and it's all taken care of."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow at the Mayor "I'm here because I'm the Sheriff."  
"Oh, that's right." Regina rolls her eyes "Go on. Do your job. Take care of those miscreants."  
Buffy rolls her eyes Regina as her and Henry leave, then heads over to the owner "Did you call their parents?"  
"Uh, the number they gave me was...disconnected."  
Buffy turns to the brother and sister around Henry's age and watches them intently "Did you guys give Mr. Clark a fake number?" The two shake their heads nervously "Then why is it disconnected?  
The young blonde girl is the one to answer the question "Because our parents couldn't pay the bill." Buffy looks at the girl sadly then turns her head to look at the stolen items, which were all house hold items. Buffy picks up the box of toothpaste "You guys were just trying to help out, huh?"  
"Please. Please don't arrest us. It'll just make things worse for our parents."  
Buffy sighs "Okay. Come on." Buffy buys the item for them then takes them to the car where she drives them home.

"This it?" Buffy asks as she pulls in front of a small blue house. The girl nods, as Buffy goes to get out of the car the girl stops her "Please. No. If our parents see you, they'll be so embarrassed." Buffy closes her door and turns to face the two of them "Did Henry tell you about one of my superpowers?" The kids look at her confused "We just met him."  
"I have this odd ability to tell when someone is lying to me. So tell me the truth. Money problems aside, is everything okay at home?"  
The girl nods "Yeah, we're great. Can we go?"  
Buffy looks at the two of them skeptically "All right." After the two of them get out she circles to the back of the house and comes in through the back door. A few minutes later the two kids climb up from hole in the floor and Buffy startles them "Why'd you guys lie to me?" Both of the children gasp at the sound of her voice and turn to face her. "Where are your parents?"  
After a moment the girl looks at Buffy "We don't have any."

* * *

Buffy brought the two kids back to Mary Margaret's apartment and they were currently eating at the table while Buffy talked to Mary Margaret "Do you know them?" Buffy asked in a lowered voice so they wouldn't hear "Do they go to your school?"  
Mary Margaret nods "I've seen them, but...I had no idea. None of us did."  
Buffy opens the book Mary Margaret gave her "Ava and Nicholas Zimmer." She read "Said their mother was a woman named Dorrie Zimmer. She died a few years ago." Mary Margaret shakes her head having no idea who the woman was, Buffy sighs "No one seems to know her or remember her."  
"And the father?"  
"There isn't one—at least not one that they know."  
"What does, uh, what does social services say?" Buffy hesitates "You didn't report them." Mary Margaret realises.  
"I report them, I can't help them. They go into the system."  
"The system that's supposed to help."  
"Look I have seen the system, I watched someone I cared about go through the worst or it. Do you know what happens? They get thrown into homes where they are a meal ticket. Nothing more. These families get paid for these kids, and as soon as they're too much work, they get tossed out and it all starts over again."  
"But they're not all like that."  
"How can you know that?"  
"What, we're just gonna adopt them?"  
"I want to look for their father. They don't know him. He may not even know they exist."  
"And you think if he knows he'll want them?"  
Buffy looks at the school teacher sadly "I don't know. But what I do know is it's hard enough finding foster families to take one kid that isn't theirs, let alone two. I know what it's like to be separated from a sibling. Trust me it's their best shot or—"  
Buffy is interrupted by the sound of crying "We're gonna be separated?"  
Buffy turns to see Ava, tears falling down her face "No, that's not gonna happen."  
"Please." Ava begs "Please don't let it."

* * *

After calming down Ava Buffy left the two of them with Mary Margaret and headed down to the town archives office. Buffy walked over to the counter seeing a man behind it working "Excuse me. Mr...Kry-zowksi?"  
"It's Kryzyszkowski." He corrects as he gets up from his seat and walks over to her "Everyone calls me K."  
Buffy nods "Mr. K., I am Sheriff Summers. I'm hoping to look at the birth certificates of Ava and Nicholas Zimmer."  
"Well, just, uh, fill out this form..." He tells her as he places 3 pieces of paper and a pen in front of her "In triplicate."  
"Okay." Buffy says slightly weirded out as she reaches for the first form. As she is writing Mr. K draws her attention "I'm so sorry. Those documents have been recently removed."  
"By who?" Buffy asks confused.  
"The Mayor."

* * *

"Don't worry, Ms. Summers. You can relax." Regina tells Buffy as she enters the Mayor's office "I've contacted social services. Turns out these kids are on their own. They need help."  
Buffy glares at the Mayor "Which is exactly what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to find their father."  
Regina picks up the file on the desk and hands it to Buffy "Well...He doesn't exist."  
Buffy takes the file "He has to."  
"Well, of course, biologically, he exists, but there's no record of him, which means we have no choice. These children need a home. So they will be put into the foster system."  
"Storybrooke has a foster system?"  
"No, but I've contacted the state. Maine's group home, unfortunately, are filled, but they've put us in touch with two homes in Boston—A boys' home and a girls'."  
Buffy's eyes widen as she watches Regina move around the room "They're separating them?"  
"I don't like it either, but we've got no choice. You need to have them in Boston tonight."  
Buffy looks at the mayor confused "Me?"  
Regina smiles "Well, you wanted to be sheriff. This is what sheriffs do. Yes, you're taking them."  
"No. I promised them they wouldn't be separated."  
"Well, then perhaps you should stop making promises you can't keep. These children need a home. I'm just trying to find the best one."

* * *

Later at the Station Buffy is going through Ava and Nicholas' file hoping to find some clue to where their father might be. "Any luck?" Henry asks as he enters the room carrying the storybook.  
Buffy sighs "No."  
Henry places the book on the table "I know who they are. A brother and sister, lost, no parents. Hansel and Gretel." Henry opens the book to the story of the brother and sister and shows it to Buffy who smiles.  
"Anything in there about the dad?"  
"Just that he abandoned them."  
"Great. Sounds like a familiar story. Whoever this guy is, he could be in Laos by now. Or he could be in Spain with his secretary like my father."  
Henry bites his tongue trying to keep to truth a secret and goes on "No. He's here."  
Buffy scoffs "Just how do you know that?" Buffy asks as she moves out of the office and heads to the file cabinet.  
Henry follows her "Cause no one leaves Storybrooke. No one comes here. No one goes. It's just the way it is."  
"I came here." Buffy argues.  
"Because you're special. You're the first stranger here ever."  
Buffy nods "Right. I forgot." Buffy pulls out a large file and closes the cabinet "Well, if he's around here anywhere, I'm gonna find him. If I was able to track down my loser of a father, I can find theirs."  
Buffy turns away from Henry and sits at the desk. Henry sits on top of the desk and looks at Buffy "Can you tell me about him?"  
"I don't know anything yet."  
Henry shakes his head "Not their father. Mine."  
Buffy's eyes widen, she had not thought of Henry's father in years and that was for a good reason. "Please?" Henry begs.  
Buffy hesitates, thinking of what to say, she turns to Henry and leans back in her chair "I was 15 when I met him. My mum and dad were fighting so they sent me to stay with my aunt for the summer. To say she was not happy about it, was an understatement so she told me to get a job. And the only job I could get was at this 24-hour diner just off the interstate. And um...Your dad was training to be a fireman. He always got the worst shifts, so he'd come in and order coffee and pie and sit at the counter and always complain that we didn't sell pumpkin pie, but he always came back the next night anyway."  
Henry smiles slightly "Did you guys get married?"  
Buffy laughs "No. I was 15 Henry, can't exactly do that. But no. Nothing like that. We just—we hung out a few times outside of work. And...life happened. His got better and when I got back to L.A mine got worse, and...I got into some tricky situations.  
"When you got arrested."  
Buffy sighs "Yeah. After I got back to L.A, I...I found out I was pregnant with you. And...I tried to contact him. And I found out...that he died saving a family from a burning apartment building. So you think I'm a savior, Henry? He was. Your father was a real hero."  
A sad look crosses Henry's face as he looks at Buffy "Do you have anything of his? Something you can remember him by? Something I could see?"  
Buffy sits back in her chair "I...I don't. Henry...I'm sorry. I gotta go. I may know how to find this guy." Buffy picks up the file and heads back to her office.

* * *

Once Buffy got back to the apartment she heads upstairs to her room and grabs a small box. As she comes down the stairs she sees Ava and Nicholas eating cookies she walks towards them and dumps the box on the kitchen counter "I want to show you guys something. Here." Buffy says as she pulls out the white and purple baby blanket from the box. "What's that?" Nicholas asks.  
"It's my baby blanket. It's something my mum gave me after I was born. It's something that I've held on to my whole life. After Sunnydale was destroyed I lost almost everything. But this is the one thing that I saved. It's the only thing that I have left... of my mom. I know what it's like to lose your parents and any one in that situation... we hold on to stuff. I want to find your father, but I need your help. Is there anything of his, you've held on to?"  
"I might have something." Ava tells Buffy "But if I give it to you, you'll make sure we say together, right?"  
"Right." Buffy says as she places the blanket on the box. She looks at Ava as the blonde girl pulls at compass out of her pocket and hands it to Buffy.  
"A compass?"  
"Our mom kept it. She said it was our dad's."  
"Thank you. Now I'm gonna go find your dad."

* * *

After Buffy leaves the apartment she heads to Gold's shop. "Buffy." Gold says as she enters the shop "How lovely to see you. I'm flattered you'd take time out of your busy schedule for me. What can I do for you, Sheriff?"  
Buffy walks over to Gold and places the compass on the counter in front of him "I'm looking for information on this old compass. Any idea where it could've come from?"  
Gold picks up the compass and looks at it closely "Well, well. Look at the detail. You know, this is crystal, this jeweled setting? Despite the rather unfortunate shape that this is in. This is actually a very unusual piece. The person who owned this obviously had great taste."  
Gold places the compass back down and looks at Buffy, who asks him another question"And where would someone like that buy it?"  
Gold smiles at the question "Right here, of course."  
"You know it?"  
"Indeed. A piece like this is difficult to forget."  
"Do you happen to remember who bought it?"  
"Well, I'm good with names, Ms. Summers, but maybe not that good." Gold told her as he moved towards the cash register. "However, as luck would have it, I do keep quite extensive records..." Gold opens a drawer by the register "And...yes. Here we are."  
Gold pulls out a piece of card from the drawer and waves it in front of Buffy. Buffy smirks "What's your price?"  
"Forgiveness."  
Buffy looks at him skeptically "How about tolerance?"  
"Well, that's a start. The compass was purchased by a Mr. Michael Tillman."  
"Anything else?"  
Gold shakes his head "Just a name, but I generally find that's all one needs." Buffy nods and turns away from Gold and heads to the exit "Good luck with your investigation." Buffy hears him say causing her to turn slightly and look at him before leaving the shop.

* * *

A little while later Buffy stands with Michael as he stares at the picture of Ava and Nicholas she handed him. "Not possible." He tells her as he hands the file pages back.  
"Actually, it is."  
"I'm sorry. Look, Dorrie—she wasn't my, um...it was just once." Michael turns away from her and walks into the mechanic shop.  
"Sometimes that's all it takes." Buffy tells him.  
"I met her when I was camping...and we, um...no. It's not possible. I don't have twins."  
"Yes, you do. You have twins that have been homeless ever since their mother passed away. You have twins who have been living in an abandoned house because they don't want to be separated from each other. And twins who are about to be shipped off to Boston like cattle unless you step up and take responsibility for them."  
Michael who is working on the car hanging up from the wall cuts his finger "Ow." Then looks to Buffy "Look...I can barely manage this garage. I can't manage two kids. And why are you so sure they're mine?"  
Buffy looks at him sadly before reaching into her pocket and holding out the compass "Beside the timing? Have you ever seen this?"  
Michael walks toward her and looks at the compass which Buffy hands him "I lost this."  
"Let me guess—12 years and 9 months ago? I know it's a lot. Believe me, I know. A while ago, a kid showed up on my doorstep I gave up for adoption, asking for help with...something. And I ended up moving here, for him."  
"I heard about that. It's the mayor's son. But...staying in town is...it's a lot different than taking him in."  
"I don't have my kid because I don't have a choice. You do. Those kids did not ask to be brought into this world. You brought them into this world. You and their mother. And they need you. And if you choose not to take them, you are gonna have to answer for that everyday of your life. And sooner or later, when they find you—because believe me, they will find you...you're gonna have to answer to them."  
"I'm really sorry. I am." Michael says as he gives the compass to Buffy "I don't know anything about being a dad. If it's a good home your looking for it's not with me." Michael looks at Buffy once more before heading inside. Buffy closes her eyes sadly and heads back to the loft.

* * *

Once she is outside she grabs her phone calling Mary Margaret "Hey, it's me." Buffy says as Mary Margaret answers "I need you to come outside right away."  
"Is everything okay?"  
"Don't say anything in front of the kids, but no, it's not."

"He doesn't want the kids." Buffy tells Mary Margaret once she comes downstairs.  
"And you don't want to tell them?"  
Buffy shakes her head "I can't, because all I'll be telling them is that the false hope, I gave them is exactly that."  
"The truth can be painful, Buffy, but it can also be cathartic."  
"I agree on the painful part."  
"Well, hey, look, you told Henry the truth—that his father's dead—and he's handling it great."  
"I didn't tell him the truth."  
Mary Margaret looks at her stunned "What?"  
"Henry's father was no hero, and trust me, he does not need to know the real story. Maybe we can hide the kids, just until we can find a family for them—someone to take care of them."  
"Yes, hiding the 12 year olds is a good plan."  
"You have a better idea?"  
"Or maybe there isn't an idea. Maybe you just have—"  
Mary Margaret is cut off when Regina walks over to them "Sheriff? Shouldn't you be on the interstate?"  
"What are you doing here?"  
"Seeing to it that you do your job."  
"You know you don't need to check up on me. I know what I have to do."  
"Really? Because those kids are supposed to be in Boston tonight."

* * *

A few hours later Ava and Nicholas stand in front of the Sheriff's car as Buffy opens the door for them "Come on. It's gonna be—here." Buffy says as she hands the miserable Ava back the compass "I'm sorry, but we gotta go." The two kids slowly get into the car and Buffy gets into the front seat. Henry appears at the window "No. You can't take them. They can't leave Storybrooke, Buffy. They can't. Something bad will happen."  
Buffy sighs "Something bad has already happened." Buffy starts the engine as Henry moves away from the window. Buffy puts the car into drive and heads for the town line. As they get closer to the town line the engine begins sputtering before stopping. "You've gotta be kidding me." Buffy says as the car stops.  
"What happened? What's wrong?" Ana asks from the back seat.  
"Engine stalled." Buffy says before reaching for her phone.  
"Who are you calling?"  
"Help."

Buffy leans against the car waiting for the tow truck, a moment later it appears and Michael climbs out of the car and freezes when he sees Buffy. He turns his head slightly and sees Ava and Nicholas looking at him from the backseat "Are those them?"  
Buffy nods "Those are them."  
Michael moves closer to Buffy "And your car? It's fine?"  
"I just wanted you to see 'em. Just once. I didn't think I could do it either. I gave up Henry 'cause I wanted to make sure he was safe and to give him his best shot. When I saw that he didn't have that, I couldn't leave. I was just as scared, more probably. But once I saw him, got to know him...I couldn't go back."  
Michael walks closer to the car watching the kids then turns to Buffy "You're taking them? To Boston?"  
Buffy shakes her head "I don't have to."  
"No. No you don't." Buffy smiles and feels a tear fall down her check as Michael goes over to the car and talks to Ava and Nicholas.

* * *

When Buffy gets back to the loft Mary Margaret who is sat on the bed doing laundry sees her "Hey. What happened?"  
Buffy sits on the school teachers bed "Their dad? He showed up. Changed his mind." Buffy tells Mary Margaret as she lies down on the bed.  
Mary Margaret looks down at Buffy and smiles "Changed his mind? Just like that?"  
Buffy nods "He might have had a little nudge."  
"They found their father. That's great."  
Buffy sits up "I wonder what that would be like, being reunited with family."  
"Maybe you'll find out. Maybe you and your sister will make up."  
"I don't know. I love me sister but I don't know if things will ever be the same between us. She most probably hates me for leaving. I kinda think giving up on the idea that me and my friends all being together again like the way it was might be the best plan. I think I need to let go of my old life for good this time. Their better off without me anyway."  
"Are you sure?"  
"If my mum was still around things would most probably be different, after she died I wasn't the same, I was distant, I shut down and my friends suffered because of it. I couldn't be who I was expected to be." Buffy sighs "I think I need some air." Buffy gets up from the bed "I'm gonna go think." Buffy heads for the door and Mary Margaret walks towards the kitchen "If you're gonna be back late, I can wait to eat with you."  
"No, don't do that."  
"I'll leave you leftovers." Mary Margaret says before noticing the blanket "What a pretty blanket."  
"Thanks. Good night." Buffy leaves the loft. After the door closes behind her Mary Margaret picks up the blanket and inhales, a second later she shakes her head and puts the blanket down. As she walked away from the box, a phone at the bottom of the box begins to vibrate, too quiet for Mary Margaret to hear.

* * *

Buffy sits in her car going through a file about her past when Henry appears by the passengers window "Um, what's that?"  
"Just an old file. What's up?  
"Pumpkin pie." Henry says showing her the small box in his hands "I...I thought you'd like some. It was pumpkin, right?"  
Buffy smiles at Henry "Right." She says as she climbs out of the car. Henry walks around the car to stand in front of Buffy who sighs "Henry...about your father..."  
"Yeah?" Henry says with a smile  
Buffy hesitates and decides to keep the truth buried "I'm glad I told you."  
"Me, too."  
Henry hugs Buffy and when he pulls away Buffy looks at the box "Gimme that." She says as she takes the box smiling  
"What you did with Ava and Nicholas—you really are changing things." Buffy raises an eyebrow at Henry but then looks down the road when she hears an engine roaring. Henry hears it as well and turns to see a motorcycle. The man on the bike pulls over and gets off before walking towards them, as he takes off his helmet. "Hi." He says, as he smiles at Buffy "Hey."  
"Is this Storybrooke?"  
"Yeah."  
"Any place to get a room around here?"  
Henry looks at the stranger "Uh, you're staying?"  
The stranger turns his attention to Henry "That's the plan. Just looking for a bed."  
Buffy watches Henry before focusing on the stranger "Granny's bed and breakfast is just up the road. Another two blocks."  
"Thank you."  
The man starts to walk towards his bike as Buffy calls out "Hey. I didn't catch your name."  
He turns around as he walks "That's 'cause I didn't give it." He says before getting back on his bike and driving away. Buffy watches the man for a moment before tunring to Henry "I though you said strangers don't come to Storybrooke."  
Henry looks at her worried "They don't."


	14. 7:15

7:15

* * *

 _Every storybook character you've ever know..._

 _Is trapped between two worlds..._

 _Victims of a powerful curse..._

 _Only one knows the truth..._

 _And she'll stop at nothing..._

 _Till someone breaks the spell._

* * *

Buffy is eating cereal when Mary Margaret runs out of her room with a tooth brush in her mouth, she quickly puts on her shoes and runs into the kitchen taking the toothbrush out of her mouth and pitting into the sink. "I cannot believe I overslept." Buffy looks at her roommate oddly "It's only 7:10. You've got plenty of time to get to school."  
Mary Margaret runs towards the door grabbing her hat and scarf from the coat hanger "No, I have to be there at 7:15. Science fair. I'm helping some of the kids with their projects before school."  
Buffy turns in her chair and smiles at her friend "I'm sure if you're five minutes late, they'll live."  
Mary Margaret looks over at Buffy as she wraps the scarf around her neck "We're making a volcano." She says before leaving the apartment.  
Buffy shrugs and turns back to her food "Okay."

Buffy decides to wait five minutes before going after Mary Margaret knowing that she is not going to school but to Granny's. Buffy heads upstairs to grab her jacket when she hears a phone vibrating from inside one of the chest of draws. She opens the draw to see her old phone, the one Angel had given her when she left L.A. She picks up the phone looking at it skeptically before answering "Hello?"  
"Hi...Um...Sorry...I don't know if this is the right number—Anyway I'm looking for a woman named Buffy Summers but she may go as Emma Swan."  
Buffy felt her breathing pick up as she began to panic "Who is this?"  
"Oh...Sorry. My name is Dawn Summers, I'm looking for my sister."  
Buffy freezes she can't speak "Hello?" Dawn says wondering if the person is still on the other end of the phone. When a thought comes to her "Buffy?"  
"I'm sorry... I-I have to go..." Buffy says with a shaky voice.  
"Buffy wait please—"  
Buffy quickly hangs up the phone and leans against the wall and slips to the ground trying to keep the tears from falling. A few minutes Buffy pulls herself together and heads to Granny's.

* * *

Back in Cleveland Dawn looks at the phone and she places it in her bag. She had been packing as her and Giles were heading back to the slayer headquarters in Scotland for several weeks and as she packed she decided to try Buffy's phone one more time. She had spoken to her sister. She had spoken to Buffy, even if it was just for a moment. Buffy had not sounded mad, more stunned than anything and slightly panicked. Dawn sighed as she grabbed her bag and headed for the door. Now that she knew Buffy had the phone she decided she was going to keep calling until Buffy and her talk properly.

* * *

Buffy walked in through the back door at Granny's and headed into the Dinner; walking over to Mary Margaret "This is making a volcano?"  
As Buffy sits down in the seat opposite her, Mary Margaret looks down trying to think of how to explain her self "I was—"  
"I get it." Buffy tells her.  
"He comes here every morning at 7:15 A.M to get coffee."  
"For him and his wife." Buffy adds.  
Mary Margaret closes her eyes as a look of guilt crosses her face "I know, I know, I know. I just like to...come here to see him."  
"So you're a stalker?"  
"No, not really." Buffy raises an eyebrow causing the teacher the sigh "Maybe a little bit. And it's not like I'm following him. I just know that he spends his mornings with Kathryn, gets his coffee, then drives to the animal shelter to start work at 7:30, and then he's home around 5:00."  
"Oh, is that all?"  
"Thursdays they pick up Chinese for dinner. I can't get him out of my head."  
Buffy gives her friend a small smile "I know. Maybe the first step is not showing up here tomorrow."  
"Love's the worst. I wish there was a magic cure."

* * *

Later Buffy is putting spare parts and emergency storm equipment into the trunk of the sheriffs car when she hears someone move towards her. Buffy looks around to see Regina standing by the passengers window, Buffy sighs "If you're looking to blame me for the storm, I think you're taking things a bit far now."  
Regina ignores her "I need you to look into something, Sheriff. Someone's in town—someone new."  
Buffy shrugs as she lifts the spare lights and places them in the trunk "Yeah, I know. I gave him directions to Granny's the other night."  
"You talked to him? What'd he say?"  
"He asked for directions." Buffy says as she places the flares and the first aid box in the trunk before turning to Regina "What's the big deal? Who is he?"  
"I don't know. I asked around, but no one seems to know anything. There's something about him—something familiar."  
"He must be one of the untold millions you cursed." Jokes Buffy.  
"What?"  
"Oh, you know, The curse, Henry's whole thing."  
"Sheriff, I need you to find out who he is, and what he wants, and what he's doing here."  
As Buffy places the spare tire in the car she looks up at Regina "You know, as hard as you tried to find one in my case, there is now law against visiting Storybrooke."  
Regina shakes her head "This isn't about the law, Ms. Summers. You're gonna do this because I asked you to and because you'll see it's the right thing to do." Buffy closes the trunk and turns to face Regina "And why is that?"  
"Because he was in front of my house, taking a particular interest in the one thing we both care about—Henry."  
Buffy thinks for a moment before nodding her head "I'll look into him." She tells the Mayor before grabbing her keys and getting into the car.

* * *

Buffy enters Granny's shaking from the cold. She looks around the dinner when she stops the mysterious stranger. Buffy removes her hat and gloves as she moves towards him "We need to talk."  
"Why?"  
Buffy walks past the wooden box by the man's feet and sits opposite him "Because...you're suspicious. You give off a suspicious vibe kinda thing and well it's making me...suspicious."  
The man looks over at Buffy "Sitting here? Out in the open, drinking coffee? Wo  
Buffy frowns "You were talking to Henry."  
"You mean the little kid who came up to me asking me questions? Is that unusual for him, being curious and precocious?"  
"What were you doing outside his house?"  
"My bike broke down. That happens."  
Buffy looks down at the box on the floor "Your mysterious box—what's in it?"  
The man smiles "It's awfully frustrating not knowing, isn't it?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Just tell me."  
"Why? Is it illegal to carry around a box in these parts?"  
"No, of course it's not."  
The man tilts his head "You really wanna know what's inside it, don't you?"  
"No. Well, maybe."  
"I'm gonna make you wait. You're gonna have to wait a long time. And watch me carry it around, hauling it to strange and mysterious places. And with each passing moment, the mystery will become more tantalising. Your imagination will inflame, but so will your frustration, never knowing, only guessing what could possibly be inside that box?" The man leans in closer to Buffy "Or...you could let me buy you a drink sometime, and I'll tell you right now."  
"You wanna buy me a drink?"  
"Yes."  
Buffy stares at him "Okay. A drink it is."  
The man smiles and grabs the box off the ground and lifted it placing it in front of Buffy. Buffy gives him a skeptical look as he unlocks the box, when he opens the lid of the box Buffy is surprised to see a typewriter. Buffy looks up at the man "Really?"  
He smiles "I'm a writer."  
"That's why you're here?"  
"I find this place provides...inspiration. Don't you?" He then shuts the box locking it and stands from his seat, Buffy looks at him confused "Wait. Have you been here before?"  
He shakes his head "I didn't say that." He then walks away from the table heading for the back door leading to the Bed and Breakfast as he walks away Buffy turns in her seat and call after him "What about that drink?"  
He stops and turns to her "I said sometime." He says before walking off.

* * *

The next day Buffy is sitting opposite Mary Margaret at the dinning room table, Buffy is playing with her food thinking of the what had happened when Dawn called her when she noticed Mary Margaret's expression as she stared at something behind Buffy. Buffy turned her head to see the clock realising what time it was Buffy reached over and placed her hand in Mary Margaret's and gave her friend a smile.


	15. Fruit of a Poisoned Tree

Fruit of the Poisoned Tree

* * *

Buffy is leaning against her car by the park waiting for Henry to appear. "Hey kid." Buffy says as Henry rides right past her on his bike "Nice to see you too."  
"The storm!" Henry yells as he stops his bike in front of the now destroyed castle.  
"It's okay. We can fix it. I'll talk to Marco."  
Henry walks over to the castle and bends down to his knees and begins diggining through the sand "Do you think it's still here?"  
Buffy looks down at Henry confused "What are you looking for?"  
"My book."  
"Why's you bury it here?"  
Henry cleans the sand off a large metal box as he answers "So my mom doesn't find it."  
Buffy smiles as she crouches next to him "Hiding it under your mattress wasn't good enough?"  
"That's the first place The Evil Queen would look."  
"How about leaving it with me?"  
"That's the second place." Henry tells her as he unlocks the box. Henry opens the box and smiles "It's still here. Good."  
"So your mom doesn't know about the castle?"  
Henry turns to Buffy and smiles "No. This is our secret."

Henry locks the box back up and re-buries to box when a voice comes from further away "Henry? Henry!" Buffy and Henry stand turning to Regina who is walking towards them, her focus on Henry "I've been looking everywhere for you. You know you have a session with Archie this morning. I should've known he was with you." Regina looks at Buffy for a second before turning her focus back on Henry "Henry, car. Now." Henry runs off to the car and Regina turns to Buffy "You let him play here?"  
Buffy shrugs "The storm hit it hard but we can fix it."  
"Well, can you fix the cracked cranium? 'Cause that's what you'll have on your hands if one of these board collapse under his weight. You're not thinking about Henry or his safety, just ways around me. Ms. Summers, don't let your feeling cloud your judgement. People can get hurt."  
Buffy glared at Regina, Buffy more than anyone knew that people could get hurt, she has seen it in every one of the many wars she had been in, but the way Regina said it rubbed Buffy the wrong way. "What's that supposed to mean."  
"You're the Sheriff, now. It's time to be responsible."

* * *

Later at Granny's Buffy is sitting at a table with Mary Margaret "Don't let my feelings cloud my judgement, that's all Regina ever does."  
Mary Margaret picks up her tea and looks at the blonde "She's just upset because you and Henry have a special place. And she...she doesn't."  
"How'd she find out about the castle in the first place?"  
"She knows everything about this town. She's the mayor." Buffy nods but then her phone starts to ring. Buffy reaches into her pocket and looks at the number, it was the same number Dawn had been calling her from. Buffy freezes as she stares at the phone. "Buffy? Buffy? Are you ok?" Buffy looks up at Mary Margaret and nods forcing a smile on her face "Yeah. I'm fine."  
Mary Margaret smirks and raises an eyebrow causing Buffy to roll her eyes "Fine, ok. It's my sister... she somehow got my number and she won't stop calling me."  
Mary Margaret's eyes widen "Oh. Well maybe you should talk to her, it's been what four years."  
Buffy sighs "I will, I just—I need a bit of time before I can connect with someone from my past. But maybe soon."  
Mary Margaret smiles, her phone the buzzes, she picks it up seeing the text from David. "Everything ok?" Buffy asks curious.  
Mary Margaret nods "Yeah, I just need to go. Look, about Regina, if it makes you feel better I think you're right. I see the effect she has on Henry."  
"I wish everyone else did too." Buffy watches as Mary Margaret leaves but her attention is quickly brought back to the chair opposite her and she hears someone slide into it "I can grant your wish." Sidney says as he sits opposite Buffy with a glass of whiskey in his hands. Buffy sighs "Oh, Sidney, you want a side of bacon with that whiskey?"  
"You want to show this town who the mayor really is? I can help."  
Buffy tilts her head watching him with interest "It's gonna be kinda hard to do from inside her pocket."  
Sidney frowns "The Mayor and I are done."  
Buffy chuckles "Sure you are."  
"She got me fired from the paper. She made a fool of me in the election. So I started working on an expose on the mayor's office, and I found something she didn't want found."  
"Sidney, you're drunk. Go home. Sleep it off. Be grateful you don't have to answer to her anymore."  
Buffy grabs her keys and gets ready to leave just as Sidney pulls a card out of his pocket and hands it to her "Call me. Storybrooke deserves to know the truth about her."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and takes the card and stands from her chair; exits the diner.

* * *

Buffy arrives at the Castle only to see Henry standing there watching as it is torn down. Buffy runs over to Henry "Hey. What happened? I came as soon as I could."  
"The castle—she's tearing the whole thing down!" Henry exclaims, Henry gets closer to the castle and looks at the dug up sand "My book! I-It's gone!"  
Buffy looks down at Henry and then walks over to Regina "Congratulations, Madame Mayor. You destroyed the thing he loves."  
"A dangerous thing." Regina argues "That can only hurt Henry and others. You see me as a villain, Ms. Summers. But that's just your perception, and you're wrong. This isn't Sunnydale where you can do whatever you want, so learn your place in this town, or soon enough, you won't be in it."  
Buffy frowns as Regina walks away from her. Buffy grabs her phone from her pocket and dials the number Sidney gave her. "Sidney, hi. I'm in. I want everyone to know who she really is."

* * *

Buffy meets Sidney in the tunnel underneath the toll bridge "All right, I'm listening" Buffy said as she walked over to Sidney. "So what do you know about her?"  
Sidney looks around then leans in closer "$50,000."  
Buffy looks at him confused "I'm sorry?"  
"50 grand out of the budget is missing, and Regina is responsible."  
"That's it? That's what you have on her?"  
"The money is just the tip of the iceberg. We figure out what she's doing, it all falls apart, it all crumbles and we'll finally learn her secrets. You see what she is. I see it. All we need is a crack in the mirror to show everyone. I'm telling you, this is it."  
Buffy looks at him skeptically and thinks about how much easier this would have been if Regina had been a demon, one sword to the gut, and done. "All right. What's your plan?"  
"Tap her phone. G.P.S. her car. Hack into her e-mail. Dig into your bail bondsperson bag of tricks."  
"No. I'm Sheriff now. I have to do this by the book."  
"She's gonna know that you're on to her. Sooner than later. Are you prepared for her wrath?"  
Buffy smirks "If I can deal with Glory the crazy bitch from hell, I can deal with Regina. So oh, yeah."  
"Good. Because I wasn't."  
Buffy turns to walk away when a thought pops up in her head "If you thought she was so terrifying...how did you allow yourself to end up in her pocket?"  
"I used to think she was a different person."

* * *

Later Buffy and Sidney are going through paperwork when Buffy pouts "Uh. I hate research. I'm so not research girl. Never have been, never will, I'm more of the beat the town snitch for information kinda person." Buffy picks up the next file when she notices something "When did that transfer go through? Does three weeks ago sound right?"  
"Yeah. Why?"  
"Because those records are missing."  
Buffy shows him the file just as Mary Margaret walks in "Buffy, there's something I'd like to talk to—" Mary Margaret stops when she stops who Buffy is with "Hi, Sidney."  
Buffy smiles at her roommate "Hey. We're just doing some work. I think we may have found something on Regina."  
"Interesting work. Oh, I approve."  
Sidney smiles then looks at Buffy "You wanna go by the book? Let's get a warrant."  
Buffy frowns "What judge are we gonna find that she doesn't own? She is the renowned mayor. She has everything and everyone in her pocket. We're screwed." Buffy thinks for a moment "How do you even get renowned? I mean, like, do you have to be 'nowned' first?" Sidney and Mary Margaret look at Buffy strangely, who quickly looks away "I did not say that. Pretend that you didn't hear me say that."  
Sidney sighs and turns to Buffy "There's always my way."  
Buffy sighs "I have been on the wrong side of the law before, Sidney. I want to do this right."  
"And what's right is exposing her. Sometimes doing a bad thing for a good reason is okay, right?"  
Mary Margaret looks up and smiles "Yeah. I mean, maybe you're doing something wrong, but if it's what's meant to be, if it's what's right, does that really make you a bad person?"  
Buffy watches Mary Margaret intently, as she nervously looks down at her tea. "Exactly." Sidney says to Buffy.  
Buffy sighs "Wow. You two are doing a whole lot of rationalising." Buffy says as she sits down at the table. Sidney looks down at her "But look what she's done to you, to me, to your son, and it's not gonna stop, to me, to your son, and it's not gonna stop, so whatever you do, you gotta do something."  
"Okay. Let's start by talking to her."

* * *

"And just what are you and the...disgraced ex-reporter accusing me of?" Regina asks as she sits at her desk glaring at both Buffy and Sidney.  
"$50,000 was transferred out of the city account by you." Buffy tells her.  
"Well, as Mayor, I'm involved in many transactions. Check the public records if you have questions."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Here's they strangest thing. They're missing from three weeks ago. You  
have any idea what happened to them?"  
Regina shrugged "Well, if they're missing, I probably checked them out, as my job often requires me to do. And if they were checked out three weeks ago, well, that means they burned...in a fire. In a fire, that if I recall, got you elected Sheriff. I have nothing to hide."  
Buffy steps forward leaning her hands on the end of Regina's desk and watches the Mayor intently "Okay. There's nothing for us to do. Let's go, Sidney."  
Sidney tries to object "Buffy."  
Buffy walks past him heading for the door "No, she's right. We have nothing."

Once they are outside Sidney turns to Buffy "That was your plan? I thought you were gonna do something."  
"I did. I planted a bug. I had a friend who was good with tech let's just say they, I learnt a thing or two. So you win, Sidney. Let's do whatever it takes."

* * *

Back at the station Buffy and Sidney are listening to the conversation that the bug in Regina's office is currently picking up "Scintillating." Buffy says as she seats down opposite Sidney "Find anything good yet?"  
Sidney nods "Yeah, better than good. She made this call a little over an hour ago." Sidney plays back the call for Buffy, Buffy listens with interest to Regina discuss a secret payment and smirks "Who's on the other end?"  
"You bugged the office, not the phone."  
"Crap, unfortunately my knowledge in bugging phones is a bit carbon-dated. So...we're just gonna have to find out."  
"Yeah."  
"A payoff in the woods. That's promising. Like fish in barrel."  
Sidney gives her an odd look then goes on "A payoff using stolen city funds."  
"Let's go find out who she's meeting."

* * *

The two are in Buffy's car tailing Regina. When Buffy tries to slow down the car by pressing on the brakes nothing happens. Sidney looks at Buffy panicked "Buffy."  
"It won't stop." She tells him.  
Buffy tries to slow down but can't and the car goes off the road crashing into the road sign. "You ok?" Buffy asks Sidney.  
"Yeah. You?"  
"I'm good."  
The two climb out of the car and walk over to the front of the car to check the brakes "We're gonna miss that handoff." Buffy says as she crouches by the car.  
"Buffy."  
"What?"  
"You know that bug you planted. I think Regina found it. Someone's been tampering with the brakes. She's on to us."  
Buffy frowns very pissed off now. She stands and starts to make her way through the woods "Wait!" Sidney calls as he runs after her.  
"The bitch tried to have me killed, she may not be the first Mayor to try that but I'm still pissed. So I'm finding her."  
"Let's be cautious. We need to think clearly."  
"To hell with caution. Not really my thing. I'm gonna find out what she's doing and why she's out here."

Suddenly a voice comes from behind them "She was meeting me." Buffy turns to see Mr. Gold holding a large briefcase.  
Buffy glares at him "What are you doing out here with her?"  
"Just a little business transaction."  
"What's in the briefcase?" Sidney asks.  
Gold smiles "Everything comes at a price. Land is no different."  
Buffy watches Gold intently "That's why you're meeting her out here? Regina bought your land?"  
Gold nods his head as he walks towards them "The very ground you're standing on."  
"What does she want it for?"  
"You know, in business, I find it's best not to ask too many questions. Hurts the bottom line. The question is, Buffy, why are you standing out here in the middle of the night with Mr. Glass."  
"Well, I'm a girl who used to spend a lot of time in cemeteries and forest, maybe it was calling me." Buffy jokes causing Gold to smile.  
Sidney ignored Buffy's joke and glared at Gold "You don't know what Regina did to me. You don't know what she did to her son. We can't just sit idly by."  
Gold turns to look at Sidney "Of course you can. Be careful. Emotional entanglements can lead us down very dangerous paths. You know that more than anyone don't you Ms. Summers." Gold smirked before walking away while Buffy glared at him.

* * *

After stopping at the station to pick up Buffy's mustang after crashing the Sheriff's car, she drives them back to the Mayor's office. Buffy stops the car and gets out while Sidney turns to her confused "What are we doing here?"  
Buffy stops and looks at Sidney "We know she brought land from Gold. And I'm pretty sure it's not so she can build a help and rescue centre for puppies. We don't know why. I'm willing to bet it's for personal reasons, like a really big mansion where she has some dark room, where she practise her evil laugh. But we have to know for sure. We need documents that officially link her to that land."  
Buffy starts to head for the office as Sidney follows her "So you want to break into her office? It's locked, and she's got a state-of-the-art security system and alarm."  
"If we don't show this town who Regina really is, who will?"  
"Do you think you can crack her code?"  
Buffy smirks "I have my ways." Buffy walks up to the backdoor and punches her fist through the glass unlocking the door from the inside "Buffy!" Sidney yells as the alarm starts to go off.  
"Who does the alarm system alert? The police. And as ironic as it is, I'm the police. So that gives us two minutes for her to get a call from the alarm company. One minute to get her coat and keys. Three minutes to drive here. We got maybe six minutes."  
Sidney looks down at Buffy "How is your hand not hurting, you just punched through glass."  
Buffy shrugs as she walks into Regina's office "Pain and I had an understanding a little while ago. Things like this don't hurt much anymore. It's more like an irritating itch."  
Sidney makes his way to the desk and starts going through Regina's laptop. Buffy walks over to him and plugs in her special hard disk recovery utility that she used on Henry's computer when she first came her. A few seconds later the file started to appear causing Buffy to smile "I just uncovered every file that references the scrap of land she brought from Gold." She presses print on the computer and then walks over to the printer and sees the papers "Not up to something my ass. God are all mayor's up too something bad, or is just everywhere I go that this happens." As Buffy waits for the files to finish printing she starts going through the draws and finds a large circular keychain full with skeleton keys "What the hell do these open?"  
Sidney looks at the keys "I don't know." Buffy puts the keys back and continues to go through the draws "What are you doing?" Sidney asks as Buffy moves towards the desk "Looking for Henry's book."  
"We didn't come here for Henry. We came here for the files and—"  
"No" Buffy interrupts "You didn't come here for Henry. Me? That's the only reason I'm here."

The main light is then switched on as Regina enters the office Sidney quickly shoves the files into his jacket pocket out of sight. Buffy shins her flash light on Regina causing the Mayor to gasp "Oh! What are you doing?" Regina asks as she punches in the security code.  
Buffy tuned off the flashlight "Some kids broke in. I heard the alarm, so I'm checking it out 'cause...I'm Sheriff."  
Regina looks at her skeptically "Well, that was an awfully quick response time."  
Buffy nods "You told me to do my job. So here I am...doing just that." Regina then turns her focus to Sidney "And you brought him."  
"Oh, well, he saw it while he was on a walk, so he's a witness."  
"Mm. And what did you see, Sidney?"  
Sidney turns to Regina "Some kids with a..."  
"Rock." Buffy offers  
"Rock. A rock."  
Regina nods and walks into the middle of the room looking around "Did they take anything?"  
Buffy shakes her head "I don't know. I'd have to do a thorough, sweep to, uh, find out."  
Regina turns around and smiles at Buffy "It appears to me it's all just a prank."  
"You sure you don't want me to take the place apart? It's one of the few thing I actual excel at, I could have the people reasonable very quick."  
"Sheriff, your services are not wanted nor needed."  
"Okay. Well, you know where to find me." Buffy and Sidney then exit the office.

* * *

Henry is sat at Granny's drawing when the stranger walks over to him "What you working on?"  
Henry doesn't look up just keeps going "Uh, no time to talk. I gotta write it all down before I forget."  
"Yeah, I hate it when great ideas slip away from me."  
"They're not my ideas. They're stories from a book that I lost."  
The man sits down next to him "Must be a hell of a book. What's it about?"  
"Stuff."  
"Sounds exciting."  
Henry puts down the pen and turns to the man "You seem awfully interested in me and my book."  
"Oh. I'm just being neighborly."  
"What are you doing in Storybrooke?"  
"I'm a writer."  
Henry gives him a skeptical look "You can write anywhere. What are you really doing here?"  
The man leans forward and whispers in Henry's ear "Stuff." He then gets up from his seat "Good luck with the stories." He says before walking away.

* * *

"What is she building out there?" Buffy asks Sidney as she sits next to him while going through the files "A mansion? If so, I totally knew it, I bet the basement will be some creepy torture chamber."  
Sidney picks up another piece of paper and smiles "Well, whatever it is, it doesn't matter, because these escrow statements have her name all over it. You were right. Personal use. She's done. We got her."  
Buffy smiles for a second as she looks at the paper but then the smile falls as she sits back in her chair "What's wrong? Didn't you hear me?" Sidney asks confused at her reaction.  
"We stooped to her level. That's exactly what I promised Henry I wouldn't do."  
Sidney rolls his eyes "Buffy, we got her!"  
"It's fruit of the poisonous tree. Illegally obtained evidence. It'll get thrown out in court in a heartbeat."  
"No, we don't need her to go to jail."  
Buffy sits up and looks at Sidney "Then what are we doing here?"  
"What you wished for—get everyone to see who she is. What she did to Henry she does to everyone. She destroys what people love." Sidney groans "Let me show you something." Sidney opens the draw next to Buffy and pulls out a small box, he places it in front of Buffy and flips the top off. Buffy looks inside the box and pulls out photos of her and Henry. "She made me follow you. She made me tell her everything. She knew about your secret place weeks ago. She just waited to destroy it till it would hurt you and Henry the most. It's all my fault." Sidney sighs then looks back at Buffy who is still going through the hundreds of photos "If you don't do this, I have to."  
"Okay."

* * *

Buffy sits next to Sidney at the town meeting waiting for Sidney to start. Once Regina tries to dismiss Sidney, Buffy stands grabbing the file out of his hands "He's not the only one who has something to say." Buffy says as she looks at the Mayor. Regina sighs "Ms. Summers, this meeting is to discuss issues facing Storybrooke."  
"Like the Mayor stealing thousands of dollars from the city to build herself a second home?"  
The crowd starts to murmur as Regina's eye widen. Regina tries to silence the crowd by banging the gavel then turns to Buffy "Ms. Summers, you will sit down immediately, or so help me—"  
"What? You'll punish me? You'll bully me like everyone else in this town? No. Not today." Buffy turns to the crowd and hold up the file "In my hand, I am holding documents proving that this woman, your Mayor, stole funds from the city to build herself a lavish home in the woods. And this disgraced reporter— " Buffy points to Sidney "You wanna know why he was really fired? Because he stood up to her. Because he questioned her. We all know what happens to people who question the mayor." Buffy turns back to Regina "You claim that you act in the best interest of all of us, but that isn't the truth, is it? The truth is you are a thug that doesn't care about anyone or anything but yourself. That is who you really are. And it's time for the people of Storybrooke to know that."  
The crowd all turn to Regina who now has a wide smile on her face "You are right, Ms. Summers. I am building a house." Regina stands from her seat "A playhouse." She turns on a powerpoint presentation and stands in front of the screen "The accusations are true. I did take city finds. I wanted to build a playground so my son Henry—and all the children of Storybrooke—could have a special place to play...safely."  
Buffy glares at Regina as the Mayor continues "As for the sketch in your hands, it was inspired by a drawing I found in one _my son's_ books. So there you have it, Ms. Summers. You've exposed me for who I really am. I hope you're satisfied."

* * *

Sidney and Buffy walk outside "Look at her." Gold says as he walks towards the two of them. Buffy turns to see a smiling Regina, before turning back to Gold. "Queen of the castle. You know, what you did in there was commendable, Ms. Summers, but if you really want to bring her down, you're gonna need a strong ally."  
"Like yourself?" Buffy asks. "Thanks, but I'm still not interested."  
"Oh, one can wish."  
Gold walks off just as Regina walks over "Ms, Summers, a word? Alone." Buffy looks at Sidney who nods before walking off. "I don't know what you were hoping to accomplish in there, but now I hope you'll go back to your job, which is upholding the law, not breaking it. Which may seem rather foreign to you because of your past but never the less." Buffy raises an eyebrow "You don't think I know you broke into my office?"  
Buffy frowns "Don't pretend like you're so innocent. I know you messed with the brakes on my car."  
Regina scoffs "Your brakes? Are you delusional? Why would I kill you when you just saw I had nothing to hide?"  
"Nothing I can prove."  
"Well, until you have something more substantial than disdain to throw my way, you're gonna stay away from me and more importantly, from Henry."  
"But that's—"  
Regina cuts her off "Not open for discussion. You've lost the high ground, Sheriff. If I wanted to, there's not a judge in the world that would deny me a restraining order after what you've done. You don't get to see my son unless I say so, and right now? I don't say so." Regina smirks before walking away.

* * *

Later Buffy sits sits in her car watching Henry play at the new playhouse. Henry sees her a waves pulling out the walkie Talkie from his pocket "Why are you so far away? Come out here."  
"Sorry, kid. I can't today." Buffy says into her walkie.  
Henry smiles "You're undercover, aren't you, for operation cobra?"  
Buffy sighs "No, Henry, I'm not undercover. Your mom—she doesn't want us seeing each other for a while."  
"You don't have to listen to her."  
"Actually, this time, I do. I screwed up, henry. Like Uber-screwed up. I got mad at your mom about you and the book and everything and...well, we're just gonna have to be apart for a little while."  
"I don't want to be apart."  
"Neither do I, but right now we gotta do what we gotta do. And, don't worry I'll find a way in. And hey, if it's out there, Henry, I will find your book."  
"Good luck. It's probably gone, and it's probably never coming back."  
Buffy looks at Henry sadly before driving away.

* * *

Buffy walks into Granny's to see Sidney having a beer by the bar. She asks Ruby for her own before sitting next to him "Looks like we had the same idea."  
Sidney nods "Well, if you can't beat her, drink."  
Buffy takes her drink off the waitress and can't help but think about the whole cavewoman Buffy incident. "How did we not see this?" Sidney asks.  
"She's the Titanic. She's a crawling black cancer" Buffy says before sighing "We did. We saw it all, right from the start. Just didn't want to look. Blinded by our anger, by everything."  
"This time. But there are a lot more skeletons in Regina's closet. And the good news you got yourself a new ally."  
The two clink their glasses "We won't get fouled again." Buffy says before having a drink.

* * *

After Sidney leaves Buffy takes her phone out of her pocket to see the two missed calls from Dawn. Buffy sighed, she took several deep breaths and dialled the number, when Dawn picked up Buffy didn't give her a chance to say hello "Look—don't say anything—I just...I need to talk to my sister for once... Is that ok?"  
On the other end of the phone Dawn smiled brightly "Absolutely."


	16. Skin Deep

Skin Deep

* * *

 **Paris, France:**

Faith had been trying to track down Dragomir for weeks now with no luck. She had gone to New Orleans where he normally was but everything in his shop had been cleared out. No matter where she went she couldn't find anything, she even heard about a man who called himself The Dragon. She had travelled all the way to China hoping to find him but by the time she got there he had apparently died. Faith sighed, she was completely frustrated, the only good thing about all of this was not only did she get to travel but as it was on the council's dime she was staying in five star hotels every night. Faith was now in Paris, Robin had decided to surprise her while she was here and they had spent majority of the last two days in the hotel room. Just when Faith was preparing to move again her computer beeped. She grabbed her laptop and pulled up her e-mail to see a message from one of her contacts. Turns out Dragomir was in Paris. He was actually at a demon bar run by the guy Lorne that Angel worked with. Turns out after killing Lindsey, Loren had travelled for a bit before settling in Paris and opened a new Caritas.

Faith made her way down there but just as she was about to enter the club Dragomir appeared blocking her path "Hello, Faith."  
Faith nodded "I take it your Dragomir."  
Dragomir gave her a small bow "That would be I."  
Faith rolled her eyes "Yeah, okay come on, dude I came here for a reason."  
"Yes. You did. You have gone through much trouble to find me, my dear."  
"Yep. Look you helped B disappear, but looks like somethings up. Someone was able to find information on her past. I need to know how."  
Dragomir stands up straight and rubbed his chin "Yes. So it would seem." A smile covers his face "Things are going much more quickly then I could have expected."  
Faith looked at him confused "Wait what? What the hell are you talking about?"  
"The spell that I used to help Ms. Summers disappear was to slowly fade, once her journey began."  
Faith was starting to get irritated "Okay I'm getting pissed off now, what journey? Explain."  
Dragomir looks around "There are many things about Ms. Summers that you do not know, that not even she knows herself. If you want to know the truth come with me now, if you want the whole truth we must speak to the woman who helped hide Ms. Summers son."  
Faiths looks at the man suspiciously and clenches her fist "I didn't say anything about Buffy having a kid. So how did you-?"  
Dragomir raises a hand silencing Faith "Would you like to know the truth?"  
Faith hesitates for a moment before shrugging "What the hell, I got nothing else to do for a while. Plus how shocking could what ever you know, possibly be?"  
Dragomir smiles "Perfect. Then we must get going we have a long trip ahead of us. Unfortunately with that red-headed witch watching my every move we will have to travel with little magic."  
Dragomir clicks his fingers and a car appears in front of the two, Faith looks at the car and grins "Sweet. Nice ride, Drags."  
Dragomir frowns at the nickname; as the two of them climb into the car Dragomir turns to Faith "There is one thing that you may like to know before we begin. Buffy Summers is not from this world."  
Faith's head shot around to look at the Romanian Warlock, she had definitely not been expecting that.

* * *

 **Storybrooke, Maine:**

Buffy enters Granny's and notices Mary Margaret and David sharing glances at each other but pretends not to notice "Hey, David." Buffy says as she walks towards the seat opposite Mary Margaret "Hey." He replies with a smile.  
"Mary Margaret." Buffy addresses her friend with a smile as she seats across from her "So...how's your day going?" Buffy asks as she eats some food from the plate at the table. Mary Margaret turns her focus away from David and looked at Buffy "Henry's fine."  
"I didn't say that—that's...I...that's not what I asked you." Mary Margaret smiles and gave her friend a pointed look, Buffy smiles "You sure? Like super sure, like end of the world sure?"  
Mary Margaret smiles "Really. He's his normal self. Regina won't keep you separated forever. When people are supposed to be together," Mary Margaret turns her head to look at David "They find a way." She finishes, as she does David looks over at her and smiles.  
Buffy puts more food in her mouth and swallows before trying to regain the teacher's attention "Yeah. So he's his normal self. No change, whatsoever. He's fine. He's happy?"  
"Yes." Buffy frowns causing Mary Margaret to panic "No. He misses you a lot. Trust me. I'm with him, like, six hours a day."  
"Six hours?" A voice asks from the other side of the room. Buffy and Mary Margaret turn to see Ashley handing her daughter to Granny. Ashley smiles at the two then focuses on Mary Margaret "You take newborns? 'Cause I'd love six hours off."  
"Ashley. I didn't—I didn't even recognise you." Mary Margaret says as Ashley grabs a chair and sits by Mary Margaret and Buffy, effectively blocking Mary Margaret's view of David. Ashley sighs exhausted "Oh. Baby on the outside?"  
Buffy turns to Ashley "How's it going?"  
"It's, uh...I mean, the baby's great, but, uh, we really haven't had time to do the whole getting married thing so that's been rough, and Sean's been working double shifts at the cannery."  
Mary Margaret who had been trying to gaze back at David finally turns her attention to the new mother "Well, he has to work."  
"On valentine's day? Yeah. He couldn't get out of it." Buffy looks at Ashley sadly. Honestly Buffy had completely forgotten it was Valentine's day, she never really celebrated it, hell the last time she even realised it was valentine's day, was when Angel became Angelus and was tormenting her. "I'm sorry that sucks." Buffy tells her.

At that moment Ruby appears with a cup of coffee and smiles at the group "It doesn't have to. Come out with me. Let's have a girls' night. We can all go. Mary Margaret, Buffy, too, if you leave the badge at home."  
Buffy gives the red and brown haired girl a small "I'm not really, up, with the party, I think my party mood got shipped to Spain when I was 21. But you guys can all go and have fun."  
Buffy gives Mary Margaret a pointed look whose eyes have now widened. Ruby smirks before turning away from the group. Buffy smiles at Mary Margaret as her phone begins to buzz. "What's that?" Mary Margaret asks confused.  
Buffy looks at her phone and frowns "It's the station. Something's up." Buffy gives both girls a smile before standing and heading out of the dinner.

* * *

Buffy arrives a Gold's house she grabs her Gun and frowns, Buffy was still not happy that she had to carry a gun, it's not like she couldn't use it she was good with all weapons but as Sheriff it was part of her job to carry a gun, and it's not like she can walk around the town with Scythe, but she did keep a couple knifes on her which, she made sure were hidden from sight. Buffy moved silently through the house, when she heard noise coming from the living room. She makes her way into the room and raises her gun only to see Gold pointing his own gun at her. "Sheriff Summers." Gold says.  
Buffy tries to explain why she is here "Your neighbour saw your front door open. They called it in."  
"It appears I've been robbed."  
Buffy tilts her head "Funny how that keeps happening to you."  
"Yeah, well..." Gold sighs as he lowers his gun "I'm a difficult man to love."

A little while later Buffy is on her phone as Gold watches her "Sheriff Summers, you can go now." He tells her "I know exactly what was taken and who did it. I've got it from here."  
Buffy smiles slightly and turns to Gold "No, you don't. This was a robbery. Public menace. And if you don't tell me what you know, I'll have to arrest you for obstruction of justice. I have a feeling you don't want to be behind bars."  
"Indeed not." Buffy raises an eyebrow when Gold hesitates causing him to sigh "All right, his name's Moe French. He sells flowers. He recently defaulted on a loan. A short time ago, we had a little disagreement over collateral."  
Buffy nods "Okay. I'll go get him, check him out."  
She starts to head for the door when Gold's voice stops her "I'm sure you will, assuming I don't find him..." Gold chuckles "Let's just say bad things tend to happen to bad people."  
"Is that a threat?"  
Gold frowns "Observation. Good luck."  
Buffy gives Gold an old look before heading for the door. As she steps out of the house she shivers in the cold "I miss California." Buffy mutters before heading for her car.

* * *

Hours later Buffy is stands a one of the desks in the sheriff station while Gold stands opposite the desk. Buffy pulls the white sheet off the stolen property she recovered "Tada." Gold gives her an odd look, Buffy rolls her eyes "Sorry. I kinda just always wanted to say 'tada' while pulling a white sheet off something." Buffy shakes her head "Anyway you're welcome. You're right. Your man Moe ripped you off. It was all still at his place." Buffy says as she pulls out the chair and sits down.  
Gold who was looking at the objects intently looked down at the slayer "And the man himself?"  
"Closing in on him."  
"So job well half-done then."  
"In less than a day, I got everything back, look I'm only Sherlock here, I have no Watson so it's gonna take a bit longer. Is something wrong?"  
Gold glares angrily at Buffy "You've recovered nothing. There's something missing."  
Gold heads towards the door and Buffy call out "I'll get it when I find him."  
Gold stops for a second "Not if I find it first." He says before walking out.

* * *

Buffy kicks down the door at the cabin to see Gold beating Moe just as Gold raises his walking stick to hit the man again Buffy grabs his wrist. "Stop." She orders him. When Gold tries to pull his hand away from her Buffy squeezes his wrist causing him to drop the walking stick.  
A little while later Buffy and Gold stand outside the cabin as Moe is put into the ambulance "So I heard you managed not to break anything he needs. You're lucky, Mr. Gold."  
Gold turns to watch Moe "You got a funny definition of 'lucky'."  
Buffy crosses her arms "You have a funny definition of justice, and considering I have a friend who used to consider herself the law, that's saying something for me. So what did he really do?"  
Gold looks Buffy straight in the eye "He stole."  
"That reaction was about more than taking a few trinkets. Trust me I have seen something very similar which makes me think what he did had something to do with the 'her' you were talking about. What happened to 'her'? Who was that? What did he do? If someone needs help, maybe I can help."  
"No. I'm sorry, Sheriff. I think you heard that wrong."  
Buffy frowns "You really don't want to cooperate."  
"Look, we're done here."  
Gold tries to walk off but Buffy stops him "Actually...No, we're not." Buffy pulls out the handcuffs "You're under arrest." Buffy tells him as she places the handcuffs on his wrist.

* * *

The next morning Buffy sits in her office eating a sandwich while Gold sits in the cell. Buffy looks over at Gold smirks "Pastrami. You want half?" Buffy takes a bite and smiles "You know I still owe you that favour. Nice, fatty pastrami. Delicious way to clear the books."  
Gold turns to look at her "Well, I don't need a reminder that you owe me a favour. And when the day comes that I make my request, it'll be for more than half a sandwich."  
Buffy gives Gold another smile before turning her head to the door when she hears footsteps approaching. When Buffy sees Regina and Henry she stands from her desk and walks over to them. "Sheriff Summers?" Regina says "I'm letting you have 30 minutes with Henry. Take him out. Buy him ice cream."  
Buffy looks at Regina skeptically "You want me to leave you alone with a prisoner? What you gonna do if he pulls a whole Houdini escape thing?"  
Regina turns away from Buffy and looks at Gold in the cell "29 ½ minutes."  
Henry looks over a Buffy with a big smile on his face "Hi, Buffy."  
Buffy smiles "Hey."

Buffy turns to look at Gold who simply asks "Bring me back a cone."

Buffy watches Regina and Gold intently "Just this once." She grabs her jacket and turns to Henry "Come move it kid, let's go." Henry smiles and the two quickly leave the station.


	17. What happened to Frederick

**What happened to Frederick**

* * *

 _Once Upon a time an evil queen...  
_ _Banished every storybook character you've ever known to our world.  
_ _Who knows the truth  
_ _And who can break the spell?_

* * *

Buffy is at the apartment getting ready to head to Granny's when her phone starts ringing, Buffy picks up the phone not bothering to look at the caller I.D "Summers."  
"Buffy? Hey it's Dawn."  
Buffy freezes for a second before slowly lowering herself into one of the chairs. She takes a deep breath before speaking "Dawn, hey... How you doing?"  
"I'm good. I know I said I'd call tomorrow but...well...okay fine. Curiosity got the better of me, you said that I could ask you a few questions next time we talked. So can I...you know—ask those questions now?"  
Buffy chuckles slightly "Okay. Just a couple though."  
"Do you have a son?"  
Buffy's eyes widen she had not talked about Henry last time they spoke "Wow really ripping off the bandage. Yes. I do."  
Dawn who is sat on the balcony at Slayer central in Scotland smiles "So I'm an aunt. What's he like?—What's his name?—How old is he?"  
Buffy sighs "Dawn, breath okay. Well his name is Henry. He's actually a little bit stubborn kind of like you. And um...Dawn...Henry's—he—he's 10."  
Dawn's jaw almost drops to the ground she is in complete shock, so much that she actually falls off her seat. "What—how—you didn't like raise him in a hell dimension where he aged really fast did you?" Buffy closes her eyes "It's complicated."  
Dawn hears the sadness in Buffy's voice and sighs "Please tell me. I promise I won't be upset, I'm just curious."  
Buffy takes a deep breath "Okay. Before we moved to Sunnydale about a month or so after I was called I found out I was pregnant."  
"Wait what?" Dawn asks confused "I think I would have noticed if you were pregnant."  
"Look when Merrick found out, he had a witch hide the pregnancy so that I would look normal. Merrick knew that if anyone found out I was pregnant I would be in a lot more danger than I already was."  
"So what happened, what happened to your son?"  
"Merrick told me that I had to give him up. That just by being my son it would paint a target on his back, would make every demon or vampire or big bad try to use my son against me. Merrick said that the only way to make sure that Henry would be safe was to erase any knowledge of his existence and for me to put him up for adoption."  
Dawn's eyes widen and she feels tears down her face as Buffy continues to listen "Right after I burnt down the school gym I was taking to jail and I went into labor. The witch that helped me hide the pregnancy showed up and used her powers to convince the guards to let me into the small medical room. She bought a medical team to me and I had the baby."

Buffy takes several deep breaths before continuing "Um...after he was born. I didn't hold him, I knew what would happen if I did. The witch she took him made sure he would end up with a family. When she came back she healed me and then erased the memories of everyone who had been in the room. She took me back to my cell and then disappeared in a puff of smoke."  
Dawn sighed sadly "Buffy, I'm so sorry."  
"It's ok. So anything else?"  
"Yeah um... I- you're with your son now, how—"  
"He found me. Showed up at my doorstep and asked me to take him home."  
"But how could he find you if there was no knowledge of what happened?"  
Buffy shrugged "I'm not sure. I'm guessing that the spell might have faded but I've got Faith following a lead for me on a couple things."  
Dawn nods before taking a deep breath "Buffy, I'm so sorry about what happened back in Sunnydale-"  
"Dawn," Buffy interrupts "It's not all on you. It's on me as well. If I hadn't cut my self off from all of you maybe things should have been different."  
"Buffy, no, we should have trusted your judgement it's kept us safe for years. I know Willow and Xander and Giles all regret how things turned out and maybe if you talk to them—"  
"No. Not yet. Look Dawn I'm not angry, I mean I was for a long time but I understand everyone was scared about the war and our deepest thoughts started coming out. I just, I'm not ready to talk to them, let alone see them. I've made a life for myself and I don't know if I want to go back to what it was like before. Maybe one day I'll talk to them, but not now."  
Dawn sighed sadly "Ok, I get it. But you and I we can still talk, right?"  
Buffy smiles "Absolutely."  
Dawn giggled and jumped up and down in excitement "So tell me all about my nephew."  
Buffy smiles "Well, he's got a very active imagination."

After almost half hour on the phone with her sister taking about Henry and everything that had happened for the past few years, only leaving out minor details, Buffy finally headed down to Granny's diner. Buffy noticed the motorcycle outside the diner that's owned by the stranger in the leather jacket. She turned away from the bike to head into the diner only for the man to appear in front of her. Once he saw her he smiled "I've been meaning to bump into you. Matter of fact, I was hoping we might grab that drink you promised."  
Buffy raised an eyebrow and smirked "Is that you asking me out? Cause honestly I've heard better."  
"Well, if putting a label on it makes you more comfortable, sure. Let's call it a date."  
Buffy smiles "I thought you came here to write, find all that inspirational mumbo jumbo."  
"I'm optimistic about our date."  
"See, I have a policy. I won't go out with guys who won't tell me their names. From stories I have heard that tends to end in a whole lotta badness. Plus I find it weeds out the ones who like to keep secrets, like they're already married or they store body parts in their freezer. It was nice talking to you."  
Buffy walks around the man but stops when she hears his voice "It's August. August W. Booth."  
Buffy smirks "Seriously? With the middle initial?"  
"W's for Wayne. So there goes your reason for not meeting me here after work." Buffy watches as August heads towards his bike for a moment before going inside the diner.  
Buffy heads towards Mary Margaret who is sat at their usual table "Who was that?" The school teacher asked having seen Buffy talking to August. Buffy sits in the seat opposite Mary Margaret "I don't know yet."  
"Yet? So you're going to find out?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "It's nothing."  
"Nothing with you means something, because if it were nothing, we wouldn't be talking about it."  
"You sound just like my mother." Buffy chuckles then leans forward "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm late but I got an interesting phone call."  
Mary Margaret looks at the blonde curiously "Really, who was it?"  
"My sister." Buffy answers after a moment's hesitation.  
Mary Margaret's eye widen "What? You talked to her?"  
Buffy smiles softly and nods "Yeah, I did and It was good. I mean like not a bad good but a good good. I told her about Henry and she was oddly okay with everything. When I was younger she most probably would have yelled at me for a week for not telling her before." Buffy shakes her head "Enough about me I thought you called me here to talk about you."  
"Yeah, but talking about you and your reconnecting with your sister is easier right now."  
Buffy frowns worried "What is it? What's going on?"  
Mary Margaret leans in closer and whispers "Remember when you told me to stay away from David and I agreed?"  
"Yes." Buffy whispers back.  
"I didn't."  
Buffy nods and continues to whisper "Yeah, I know."  
Mary Margaret looks at her stunned "You do? How?"  
"Because I'm Sheriff, and you are a lovesick school teacher. Covering your tracks is not exactly your strong suit. Plus I know a thing or two about a secret relationship although mine was not serious, where I'm guessing your is."  
"Well, I've been discreet..."  
Buffy tilts her head "Two teacups in the sink, new perfume, late nights, plunging necklines—it was not hard to connect the dots."  
Mary Margaret frowns and looks down at her shirt "Plunging?"  
Buffy smiles "When I met you, you were a top button kind of girl."  
Mary Margaret sighs then looked at Buffy confused "Why didn't you say anything?"  
Buffy shrugs "I'm not your mother. I just figured that you would let me know when it was time. I'm assuming that time is no longer in the distant future but now—as in right now."  
Mary Margaret looks down at her drink for a moment before making eye contact with her friend "He's telling Kathryn."  
Buffy's eyes widen slightly "Everything?"  
"Everything."

* * *

After work Buffy heads to Granny's to meet August only for him to appear on his motorcycle. Buffy walks over to him "You gonna come in? I thought you wanted that drink."  
August smiled "I do, but I didn't say here. Hop on."  
Buffy looks at the bike for a second then gives August a skeptical look "You want me to get on the back of that bike? You're kidding right? You're not kidding "  
August shakes his head "That's what 'hop on' means."  
"How about if we go somewhere, I drive?"  
"How about you stop having to control everything and take a leap of faith?" August counters "Plus no offence I've seen you drive. I'd rather live." Buffy raises an eyebrow at the comment but continues to listen "Look, you owe me a drink. Hop on. I know a good watering hole."  
"If you don't, I will." Granny says as she watches the two of them.

Buffy sighs and can't help but think about the last time she had been on a bike. It was back in Sunnydale a few weeks after her resurrection and Spike had taken her out drinking at a local demon bar. She looks back at Granny who is waving her hand encouraging Buffy to go. Buffy walks over to August and takes the spare helmet that he hands her. She climbs on the back of the bike and puts the helmet on, before putting her arms around August waist as he starts the engine.

The two of them arrive at the watering hole a little while later. Buffy climbs of the bike and turns to look around the space and smiles "A watering hole, literally?"  
August climbs off the bike and turns to her "Well, say what you want about me. I always tell the truth."  
Buffy walks over to the well then turns to face August "You know I've alway been told that a drink was like, wine or whiskey. Or bourbon depending on who is telling me."  
"What, do you want me to get you drunk?"  
Buffy smirks "No. Probably not a good idea a drunk Buffy equals a whole lot of badness."  
August smiles "Next time." He says as he bends to get the cups from his bags.  
"You are optimistic." Buffy says as she looks down the well. As she does August walks over with the cups "They say there's something special about this well. There's even a legend." He tells Buffy as he comes to stand next to her handing her one of the cups. Buffy raises an eyebrow not believing a word but August continues "They say that the water from the well. Is fed by an underground lake, and that lake has magical properties."  
"Magic? You sound like Henry."  
"Smart kid. So this legend—it says that if you drink the water from the well, something lost will be returned to you."  
"You know a whole lot about this itty bitty town, for being a stranger."  
August frowns at Buffy "And you know very little for being the Sheriff."  
Buffy looked at August suspiciously "How do you know all this? You've been here before? Well, if you've been here before that would make you a returnee, more than a stranger."  
August chuckles slightly at her odd statement "I know all of this for one very simple reason. I read the plaque."  
Buffy turns her head to see a small wooden stone on top of the well she hands August back the cup and walks over to it where the legend was written. 'Wishing Well." Buffy whispered at the moment she could not help but think of Anya as for over a thousand years she was granting wishing, just maybe not in the typical sense. "You actually believe that?" Buffy asked, keeping her emotions in check.  
"I'm a writer. I have to have an open mind."  
Buffy smiles "Yeah, but magic water? Cursed beer I can handle but water. Hell I lived in Sunnydale and I think of any place which would have magic water it would be that little mouth of hell."  
August smiled "Water is a very powerful thing. Cultures as old as time have worshipped it. It flows throughout all lands connecting the entire world. If anything had mystical properties, if anything had magic, well, I'd say it'd be water."  
Buffy circles the well walking back to stand in front of August "That's asking a lot to believe on faith. I mean there is a lot I know exists and I lot I believe, but I always see evidence to back those things up, but magical water has me skeptical."  
August turns to Buffy after pouring the water into the cup "If you need evidence for everything, Buffy, you're gonna find yourself stuck in one place for a long time."  
"Maybe. Or maybe I'll just find the truth before anyone else."  
August smiles and raises the cup handing it to Buffy "Well, Ms. Skeptic, there's one thing I can tell you for sure that requires no leap of faith, and I know you'll agree with me."  
"What's that?" Buffy asks as August takes a drink from his own cup.  
"It's good water." The two clink their cups together causing Buffy to smile before taking a sip.

* * *

Later that day Buffy walks over to her mustang and pushes all the wet leaves off it "Stupid Maine, weather, always cold. At least in Sunnydale it was nice...despite the demons." Buffy mutters to herself. As the leaves fall she notices them land on a metal box, Buffy moves the box with her foot and her eyes widen when she recognises the box. She crouches down on her knees and slowly opens the box to reveal Henry's book. Buffy smiles and lifts the book out of the box. She stands from her seat and looks around for someone who might have put it there, but when she doesn't see anyone she looks back at the book "How in the hell?"

Buffy heads to Henry's school to give him the news when she sees him playing on a gameboy. "Wow! I love that game." Buffy says as she seats next to him on the bench "Space paranoids, right?"  
Henry puts the game down and turns to Buffy "Yeah. My mom got it for me."  
Buffy smiles "Me and my sister used to play that game all the time, we played it so much my mom actually hid it from us." Henry goes back to playing and struggles "Relax," Buffy says "It's all in the wrists." When the game ends both of them sigh before Henry turns to Buffy "Uh...my mom's picking me up in, like, five minutes."  
Buffy nods "All right, I'll be quick as a cat then. I just have something I'd like to give you." Buffy pulls out the book from her bag and hands it to Henry.  
Henry grabs the book "You found it! Where's you get it?"  
"I found it in a gutter. It must have fallen off the dump truck on the way to the junkyard. And got tossed around in the rain and somehow made its way back to me." Buffy knew it sounded insane and back when she was younger she always used to say that she didn't believe in coincidences, but she had seen a nuff living away from the Hellmouth to realise that sometimes things just happen. But Buffy was still certain Leprechauns don't exist. "Wow. That's crazy." Henry says with a smile on his face.  
"What other explanation could there be? Leprechauns decides to do us a favour?" Buffy joke causing Henry to laugh.  
Henry turns his attention to the book "I don't know."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, whatever happened, it came back to me."  
"Maybe it means our luck is changing. Operation Cobra is back on. It's a sign. Things are gonna be better."  
"I hope you're right, kid. I gotta go." Buffy smiles at him once more before getting up from her seat and heading off.

* * *

When Buffy gets back to the apartment she sees as sad Mary Margaret curled up in bed. Buffy takes off her jacket and stands next to the bed "You feel like talking about it yet?"  
"Nope." The school teacher answers miserably.  
Buffy looks down at her friend sadly "You wanna be alone?"  
"Nope." Mary Margaret says again this time her voice breaking.  
Buffy sighs and then lies down on the bed next to Mary Margaret. Neither woman speaks but Buffy doesn't leave her friend.


	18. Dreamy

**Dreamy**

* * *

 _Once Upon a time an evil queen...  
_ _Banished every storybook character you've ever known to our world.  
_ _Who knows the truth  
_ _And who can break the spell?_

* * *

Buffy runs after Mary Margaret after seeing what had happened at the diner, now that everyone knew about what happened between her and David. She catches up to the school teacher outside "Hey. Mind if I join you?" Buffy asks as comes to stand by Mary Margaret's side; the two of them continue to walk. "So what the hell is miners day, and why are you beating yourself up over it?"  
"It's an annual holiday celebration an old tradition." Mary Margaret tells her "The nuns used to make candles and trade them with the miners for coal."  
Buffy frowns confused "Coal? In Maine. If they were mining for lobster, I'd understand."  
Mary Margaret chuckles slightly at the joke before continuing "Look, I don't know. Now they use it as a fund-raiser. It's an amazing party. Everybody loves it."  
"Are you sure? Cause what I'm seeing it's not love and trust me, I know that no love expression well."  
"It's not miners day. It's me. Last week, I had ten volunteers. This week, they all dropped out."  
Buffy looks at her friend "Wait you think this is because of that stuff with David?"  
"Oh, I know it is. A few of them told me as much." Mary Margaret sighs "I've never...been a homewrecker before."  
"You are not a homewrecker. I know homewreckege, point in case my father and his secretary." Buffy sighs "Look...it's gonna blow over. You made a mistake with David. It happens, trust me I've made plenty myself when it comes to men. But you don't have to do charity to try to win people's hearts back."  
"I have to do something. And this is the best I can do. What did you do?"  
Buffy chuckles "Well my friends were almost killed and I saved them, everything sort of blew over after that."  
Mary Margaret huffs "Great so either charity or saving people from certain death." Mary Margaret sighed "Love ruined my love."  
Before Buffy can respond her phone starts ringing "Oh. Sheriff Summers." Buffy says as she answers the phone "Yeah. I'll be right down." Buffy says to the person on the other line before hanging up. Buffy turns to Mary Margaret "Well, looks like, duty calls. Well, at least it's not the Doublemeat Palace." Buffy puts her phone in her pocket and looks at her friend sympathetically "Hang in there. And if there's anything I can do which doesn't involve cooking cause trust me you don't want that, I will."  
Mary Margaret smiles "I know. Thank you."  
Buffy gives her another smile before she turns heads off to work.

* * *

Later Buffy is crouched by Kathryn's car by the town line taking photos. Buffy stands and leans into the car looking through everything. "You mind if I take a look, too?" A voice asks Buffy. Buffy looks over to see Sidney "Huh? What for?"  
"Well, just because I got fired from 'The Mirror' doesn't mean I can't do a little freelance reporting. So what do we got here?" Sidney asks as he starts taking photos. Buffy shuts the car door and turns to the reporter "Gym teacher. Found this," Buffy gestures to the car "on the side of the road, abandoned, engine running, no one around. Someone really didn't like their paintjob. Registered to Kathryn Nolan. Unless she turned invisible and is standing here with us now, she's M.I.A."  
"Kathryn Nolan, whose husband very publicly left her? I mean, the story writes itself." Sidney goes on as Buffy heads around to the other side of the car and continues to search "If I get a scope like that, 'The Daily Mirror' would have no choice but to take me back."  
Buffy turns to stare at Sidney "Calm down, Tiger. Your not Regina's minion anymore. Kathryn got accepted to law school in Boston. I may not get why she wanted to be a lawyer but maybe after David dumped her, she decided to leave town. Car broke down. She hitched the rest of the way. It's what I would do to get away from my ex or if I was running away from my problems." Buffy walks to the back of the car and opens the boot to see all of Kathryn's luggage still there. Sidney comes to stand next to her "And, uh, would you leave your clothes in the car?"  
Buffy sighs "Looks like I'm gonna have to pull Kathryn's phone records and find out who she talked to last. Uh, I'm so not research gal."  
Buffy walks away from the car as Sidney follows her "Yeah, you know if you go through the Sheriff's department, it'll take you days to get those. I've got a contact over at the phone company who used to help me out when I was at the newspaper. I can get those in a couple hours."  
Buffy nods "Great. I don't like research much. Call me the second you get your hands on those phone records."  
Buffy is about to head for her car when she hears another car pulling up. Buffy looks closely and realises it's David's car.  
"There he is." Sidney says.  
"Time to break the news." Buffy says as she watches David climb out of the car.  
"You really think he doesn't know?"  
"I'm about to find out."

* * *

Buffy makes her way to David and explains everything she knew so far. "She's just gone?" David asked as he closed the door of Kathryn's car. Buffy watches David closely "You really don't know anything about this?"  
David shakes his head "I don't understand. What happened?"  
Buffy shrugs "I'm as clueless as men when it comes to shoes. So I don't know. I'm trying to find out. What can you tell me? When was the last time you spoke to Kathryn?"  
"Yesterday afternoon."  
Buffy nods "Okay, look, I know there have been a lot of lies, like a zillion of them and deceit, and I'm really not judging you, but is that the truth?"  
"Yes. I haven't spoken to her since we...I ended things. And I came home yesterday, and all her things were gone. I assumed she was going to Boston. That's what she told me. Am I a suspect or something?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Nope, your good. Trust me I have had enough people lie to my face for me to now know when someone is telling me the truth, David, and you are. Look she hasn't been gone even 24 hours. She's not even technically missing. But if she is, trust me, I will find her."

* * *

Buffy heads to the fair where she finds Sidney playing one of the games "What the hell are you doing?"  
Sidney turns to Buffy "What's happening?"  
"I just got off the phone with Kathryn's school in Boston. Receptionist is a real moron as well. Anyway registration was this morning and she never showed up."  
Sidney knocks "Something did happen."  
Buffy nods "Looks that way."  
Before Sidney can say anything else Mary Margaret appears "Oh, Buffy, help me out! What's more sympathetic—um, scarf or no scarf?" Mary Margaret demonstrated the two different looks. Buffy looks at Leroy confused but he just shrugs "It's like Sophie's choice." Buffy mumbles under her breath causing Sidney and Leroy to chuckle slightly while Mary Margaret glares. Buffy flinches under the school teacher's gaze "S-scarf."  
Mary Margaret smiles "Okay." She says as she wraps the scarf around her neck.  
"Come on." Leroy says to Mary Margaret "We're on a schedule." Leroy starts to walk off and Mary Margaret quickly turns to Buffy "Oh, uh, thank you. Gotta go." She says before running off after Leroy.  
Sidney turns to Buffy "Why didn't you say anything? You're looking for a suspect, someone with a motive. Pixie cut over there has got one a mile high."  
Buffy sighs "She had nothing to do with anything. Trust me."  
"But she's the one—"  
Buffy cuts him off "Trust me. I know her better than I know people I spent years of my life with. So just get me those phone records."

* * *

Buffy is at the station staring at the photos she took at the crime scene when Sidney enters "You find something?" Buffy asks.  
Sidney hands the blond a file "Kathryn's phone records. Every call she made the day she crashed her car, including an 8-minute call between her and David within an hour of the accident." Buffy frowns and takes the file opening it. She reads through it before turning back to Sidney "That's not possible. He said he didn't speak to her that day."  
"Then he's lying."  
Buffy smiles "No. I know when someone is trying to lie to me and David—"  
"It's right here on paper, Buffy. Phone records don't like. People do. And our friend David does it better than most. Don't beat yourself up over this. You're not the only person David fooled."

After Sidney left Buffy went into her office and continued to go through the evidence. She stared at the phone records trying to figure it out when Regina walks into the station. "If this is about the power cut I've already got the guys from the power company down there working on it." Buffy tells her, still not looking away from the paper.  
"That's not why I'm here." Regina says, Buffy looks up at Regina curious "It's been 24 hours since my friend Kathryn went missing. Have you found anything?"  
Buffy nods "I found something. I just don't know what it means."  
"Well, what is it?"  
Buffy hesitates "At this point in the investigation, it's best I don't divulge that information."  
Regina frowns at the blond "If you're covering for someone, if you're not doing your job, Sheriff Summers, I'll find someone who will." Regina turns on her heels and leaves the office.

* * *

Buffy pulls her car up outside the fair and walks over to David. "Buffy." He says with a smile.  
Buffy looks at him sadly "David, we need to talk."  
"Did you get ahold of Kathryn?" He asks.  
Buffy shakes her head "No, I'm afraid not."  
David looks at Buffy confused "Then what is it?"  
"I need you to come to the Sheriff's station with me and tell me everything."  
"I'm sorry. I thought I already did."  
"So did I." Buffy says before leading David back to her car and opening the door to the backseat for him.


	19. Red-Handed

**Red-Handed**

* * *

Buffy walked over to David and handed him a cup of coffee "Thank you." David said as he took the cup. David looks down at the cup "I hope Kathryn's somewhere warm, not out in the cold."  
Buffy watched David and sighed "David...I think now might be the time to start worrying about yourself a little bit more here. Your wife is missing. You are in love with another woman. There's this...unexplained phone call."  
"I know. I know. I just...I can't explain why it says that. I didn't do anything to my wife."  
Buffy watched David intently "You know I am pretty good at spotting a liar. It's one of the few none violent things that I'm good at. And honestly, liars have better material. Now go home." Buffy puts her own cup down on the table and moves away "I can go?" David asks confused.  
Buffy opens the door "At the moment there is no crime, it's non existent. So get some sleep."  
David puts his coffee down "Thank you." He says as he heads for the door.  
Just as he is about to leave Buffy turn to him "And, David, maybe...get a lawyer."  
David nods sadly then heads out of the station.

* * *

Buffy is walking down the main street when Mary Margaret comes up to her "Is he okay? David?"  
Buffy nods and continues to walk "Oh, yeah. He's a little shaken like a rattle, but he's headed home. He's fine."  
Mary Margaret nods "Any word from Kathryn?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Nothing of the new."  
"Did you check with Boston again?" Mary Margaret asks hopefully.  
"She's not there, Mary Margaret."  
Mary Margaret sighs "So we have no idea what happened to her?"  
"All we know is that after the you and David debacle, she gave you a well-deserved slap, and then took off in the middle of the night. Now she's vanished like a ghost."  
Mary Margaret frowns "Well-deserved? Do you really believe that?"  
Buffy stops and turns towards her friend "No. But look I am just preparing you because that is what everyone is going to be thinking." Mary Margaret looks at Buffy confused so Buffy explains "The two of you are going to look bad, like bad bad, like people are going to demand your head bad. That is until we figure the truth out."  
"You mean David? That people are going to think in order to...be free with me..."  
"Some are." Buffy interjects "And he's not doing himself any favours. Trust me I know what happens when people accuse you of something this horrible. So if there's anything you could think of to pin down his whereabouts that night—  
Mary Margaret interrupts "He wasn't with me. We really are through."

Buffy and Mary Margaret keep walking and see Ruby at the bus station with Dr. Whale who is currently trying to convince her that he could give her a ride.  
"Dr. Whale?" Mary Margaret asks.  
The doctor turns to the both of them "Mary Margaret. Buffy. Hello there."  
"Hey.  
"I was just having a talk with Ruby here. But I should, um—"  
Buffy gives Whale a pointed look "Yeah. Yeah, you should."  
Whale gulps as Buffy glares at him "Yeah." He then quickly walks off.  
Mary Margaret turns to Ruby "Was he bothering you?"  
Ruby shrugs "The day I can't handle a lech is the day I leave town, which this is, I guess."  
"Your leaving?" Buffy asks.  
"I had a fight with Granny. Quit my job."  
Mary Margaret is stunned "You quit?" When Ruby nods Mary Margaret gives her a smile "Where are you going?"  
"I don't know." Ruby chuckles "Away."  
Buffy nods "Weirdly enough busses out of town don't seem to happen. And trust me from experience it's best to have a destination first."  
Ruby nods sadly. Mary Margaret watches the girl and can't help but feel bad "Hey, if you need a place to figure things out, you could always come home with us." Buffy stares at Mary Margaret who gives her a pointed look. Buffy sighs and turns to Ruby "Y-Y-Yeah. Just for a little while."  
Mary Margaret turns to Ruby and smiles "Come on."

* * *

Buffy walks into the Sheriff and see Henry sat at the compute next to Ruby who is currently talking on the phone giving advice to someone with a complaint. Once Ruby hangs up the phone Buffy walks over to the two of them "How's it going, you two?"  
"Great." Ruby tells Buffy "Except I can't do anything."  
Buffy frowns "Come on that's not true. I just saw you on the phone. That was good."  
Ruby shrugs "That? That's nothing."  
"No. No, it isn't. I actually have some money in the budget if you wanna help out around here."|  
Ruby jumps out of her seat "Yes! Thank you. Yes. Uh, I could answer phones and help out. Um, is there anything else that you need done? Organise files, cleaning up? Please. I wanna be useful"  
Buffy stares at the very excited girl "Um, I'm crazy swamped with the Kathryn Nolan disappearing thingy. If you maybe wanna grab us lunch, I would never say no to a grilled cheese. Or any food really."  
Ruby smiles "Done. You want anything?" She asks Henry.  
"Um, two chocolate chip cookies, an apple pie and a hot dog."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "He ate at school."  
"Hey." Ruby says to Mary Margaret as the school teacher enters the station "Lunch, Mary Margaret? I'm getting for everyone."  
"Uh, no. I'm not hungry." She says to Ruby before turning to Buffy "David's in the woods. There's something wrong with him. He looked right through me it's like...it's like he was a different person."

* * *

"Okay, kid." Buffy says as she hands him to key to the draw so he can lock the book inside. "Don't mean to kick you out, but gotta get back to work and see if David has gotten himself into trouble out there."  
Henry gives Buffy a smile "It's okay. I'm supposed to meet my mom." He locks the draw and passes Buffy back the key "There."  
"Nice."  
"You know, you can let Ruby do more. She's little red riding hood."  
Buffy smiles and raises her eyebrow "With the little basket?" Buffy chuckles "Yeah, she seems like a badass."  
"She is. She just doesn't remember how cool she is. Or what she's capable of. But it's true."  
Buffy sighs and watches as Henry heads for the door. Henry freezes remembering Buffy's reaction when David almost drowned in the woods. "Buffy?"  
"Yeah kid?"  
"Why did you freeze in the woods when we found David?"  
Buffy's eyes widened "Why are you asking?"  
Henry shrugs "Don't know just seems weird."  
Buffy sighs "It's nothing look I will tell you another time 'cause I gotta work and you have to meet your mom before she shows up here and tries to scratch my eyes out."  
Henry chuckles "Ok." He starts to leave again "Hey, Ruby." He says as he walks past her. "Hey, Henry." She calls back then turns to Buffy holding out the takeout bag "Got your grilled cheese."  
"Thank you." Buffy said with a smile. Buffy opens the bag and pulls out her sandwich but stops when she sees Ruby's sad expression "You all right?"  
"I guess. I mean, this something I know how to do, so yay."  
Buffy sighed "Okay. Let's pack these back up and we can eat it in the car. I need to do a little wilderness search, and i'm a bit rusty so I need your help."  
Ruby laughs softly "I'm pretty sure I'm gonna screw it up. I mean, I'll screw it up with flair, but—"  
Buffy places the sandwich back in the bag and picks it up before looking back at Ruby "No, you won't. Come on." Buffy hands her the food "You can do this."

* * *

"This place is massive. How are we supposed to find one guy?" Ruby asks as her and Buffy head through the forest.  
"Shh." Buffy tells her "Hey, shh. We might be able to hear him."  
Ruby rolls her eyes "It's massive."  
Buffy points at the ground "I'm following the path because there are boot prints, so just stay close."  
"I shouldn't even be here." Ruby mumbles "I'm just gonna screw everything up."  
Buffy freezes when she hears someone breathing, from far away. She listens carefully and realises it's David. She is about to tell Ruby when the red haired girl freezes as well "Oh, wait."  
"Ruby?"  
"I hear him."  
Buffy looks at Ruby confused no normal person should be able to hear that well "Really?"  
Ruby nods "Yeah, really. I hear him or...something. I...I mean, I know where he is. Don't you?"  
Ruby runs off and Buffy tilts her head "Actually yes. But never mind." Buffy runs after Ruby "What are you doing?" Buffy says.  
"He's over here!" Ruby calls.  
Buffy finally catches up to Ruby who is now standing over an unconscious David. "David?" Buffy says as she sees his body. She runs to his side and crouches next to him "David, come on. Wake up. David, wake up."  
David slowly opens his eyes and looks at Buffy confused "Buffy? What? Ruby?"  
"Do you remember where you are?" Buffy asks.  
David sits up and looks around "No-I...what the hell? I was –I was in your office. Did you bring me here?"  
Buffy's eyes widen "You don't remember anything since you were in my office? Last night?"  
"No. I don't."

* * *

Buffy had taken David to the hospital, the two were currently listening to Dr. Whale "Well, he's bruised, scratched up, a little dehydrated...what's you expect.  
Buffy looks at David for a second then back at Whale "He's got a cut on his head."  
"It's superficial." Whale tells Buffy "I can refer him Dr. Hopper for a mental health eval, but it's my opinion that whatever caused this blackout is the same phenomenon we observed when he came out of his coma—moving around, acting out, not remembering it later."  
Buffy turned to David who looked worried "We will figure it out."  
David sighed "It's so strange. I can't even believe it happened."  
Buffy looks at David intently when a thought pops into her head she quickly turns back to Whale "How functional could he be during one of these episodes? I mean, he talked to someone. Hell maybe he was even doing the snoopy dance."  
Whale shrugged "Well, people in similar states—even under sleep medication—do all sorts of things—cooking, talking, driving a car."  
David looks over at Buffy "You want to know if I could've made that call. Or more. You...you want to know if I could've...what, kidnapped her? Killed her?"  
David starts to panic, Whale looks at him worried "Take it easy there."  
Buffy stepped closer to David and tried to calm him "No one's saying you did anything bad. Trust me David."  
"No, but it would explain why it didn't seem like I was lying. I wouldn't know."  
At that moment Regina barges into the room "Stop talking, David." She walks over to Buffy "What are you doing here? Why doesn't this man have a lawyer present? Have you even read him his rights?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "No need to get wiggy madam mayor. Because he's not under arrest. We're just talking."  
"Right. Just talking."  
"What are you doing here?"  
Whale explains for Buffy "Mayor Mills, is still Mr. Nolan's emergency contact."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "You have got to be kidding me right? Oh, come on."  
David turns to Whale "I thought that changed to Kathryn."  
Regina stops glaring at Buffy and turns to David "Well, Kathryn's currently unavailable. Some people haven't found her yet." Regina turns back to Buffy "Stop trying to place blame and just find her."  
"There's a whole lot of Maine to search, Regina."  
"Well, you covered this room. I suggest you branch out."  
Buffy looks at David once more before heading out.

* * *

Buffy dials the station and waits for Ruby to answer the phone "Sheriff's Station. Thank you for calling. How may I direct—"  
Buffy interrupts her "Hey, stop. It's me. Here's the thing. The last time David went for one of his magical little dream walks, he went to the toll bridge. You know the one? It's a crazy hunch, and I'm most probably completely insane, but I want you to take my mustang and go and see if he was there."  
Ruby panics "No, I could get somebody else to."  
"Ruby, you were great out there. You can do this."  
"I don't know."  
"It's gonna be dark soon. Once the moon comes out to play David's gonna be let out. If there is something there, we've gotta get there first. We don't have time to argue. Can you do this?"

* * *

Buffy stays on the phone with Ruby as Ruby drives to the toll bridge "I mean, what am I even looking for?" Ruby asked as she climbed out of the car.  
"Anything out of the ordinary anything weird. I don't know something that looks like it belongs in a Halloween horror movie. Something that doesn't belong there."  
Buffy listens as Ruby makes her way down to the bridge "And...if I find something?" Ruby asks obviously very nervous and scared.  
"Just follow your instincts."

Buffy waits as she hears Ruby digging at the ground "You...can't give me a clue...what I'm looking for?" Ruby asked.  
"Anything of Kathryn's"  
When Ruby doesn't respond Buffy begins to worry "Ruby? What's going on? Did you find something?"  
A second later Buffy hears Ruby scream "Ruby? Ruby?"

* * *

Buffy and Ruby stare at the box back at the sheriff's station "Is...is that what I think it is?" Ruby asks Buffy.  
Buffy nods "Yeah."  
Ruby turns away "I can't look."  
Buffy sighs as she looks at the inside of the box "I really wish that was was first time seeing something like this, instead of like the the other billon times." She mumbles to herself before closing the box. Buffy sighs and turns to Ruby "You ok?"  
"I don't know what I am."  
"It's gonna be all right. We can figure out what happened now. Ruby, you did good."  
Ruby looked at the box then back at Buffy "This is doing good?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah. It's amazing. First you found David and now this. Look I know you say you don't know what you are. I get that I'm still trying to figure that out myself. But whatever it is, I gotta say, I'm impressed."  
Ruby chuckles "Don't be. I'm...I'm scared out of my mind." Ruby wiped the tear that fell down her check off her face.  
Buffy looked at the girl "But you did it anyway. Look when I was younger I went through what you are going now. So don't worry it get's easier. Eventually. I think."

* * *

Buffy walks into the pet shelter to find Mary Margaret and David talking. Both of them stand when Buffy enters the room. "What is it? Did you find her?" David asks.  
Buffy turns to David "We found a box."  
The two of them look at the blonde confused "Wait. Wait. What does that mean?" David asks completely confused."  
"Let's just say there was not treasure in it." Buffy babble but calms her self enough to go on seriously "We think it...we think that she..."  
"What?"  
"There was a human heart inside it."  
David's eyes widen and they fill with water, Mary Margaret gasps "Oh, my god."  
"No." David cries.  
"We're gonna send it out for some tests" Buffy tells them "But there aren't any other missing people."  
Mary Margaret turns to Buffy "Maybe you should go." She whispers before walking over to David.  
Buffy takes a deep breath and continues "There's more."  
David looks up his eyes red "What?  
"There were fingerprints inside the lid of the box. I ran them through the records of everyone in town, and there was a match."  
"Arrest me." David tells Buffy as he starts to stand back up.  
"No. David." Mary Margaret begs.  
David ignores her "Arrest me, Buffy. Do it."  
Buffy shakes her head "David, the fingerprints weren't yours."  
"What?" David whispers confused.  
"They were Mary Margaret's."

* * *

 **Brussels, Belgium:**

"Damn Drags, this is getting stupid. We've been traveling for weeks. We traveled all across France and we didn't find the witchy bitch." Faith moaned in annoyance as Dragomir continued to drive.  
The warlock kept his eyes on the road as he spoke "I would much rather use magic to track the witch however we cannot risk someone following our magical trail."  
Faith rolled her eyes and bit into her pizza. "So Drags you gonna explain what you meant when you told me B wasn't from this world. I have been asking you for weeks but every time I bring it up you do your whole 'Now is not the time speech'. So come on fess up."  
Dragomir sighs "There are many things that cannot be revealed at this time. But we are getting closer to the time in which everything will be revealed."  
Faith tilted her head "Yeah, I know, I know in time, bla bla bla. I've heard it all before. But you gotta explain the whole not from this world thing. Cause that's not making sense to me."  
"Ms. Summers was born in another realm known as The Enchanted. Her parents are not Hank and Joyce Summers."  
Faith's eyes widened "I really bought this on myself by saying nothing was going to be too shocking huh?"  
Dragomir smiled "My dear that is not the strangest thing you will hear on our journey."


	20. Heart of Darkness

**Heart of Darkness**

* * *

 _Once Upon a time an evil queen...  
_ _Banished every storybook character you've ever known to our world.  
_ _Who knows the truth  
_ _And who can break the spell?_

* * *

"Please turn to the right." Buffy asks Mary Margaret after taking the first of the school teachers mug shots'.  
Mary Margaret turns but continues to look at Buffy "Buffy, this is a mistake. I didn't kill Kathryn."  
Buffy nods "Well duh, of course you didn't. Trust me I have meet murderers and you Mary Margaret do not fit into that category. But while I am your friend, I am also the Sheriff, and I have to go where the evidence leads. No matter how much I disagree."  
"Which points to me?" Mary Margaret asks as she steps closer "Buffy, yesterday it was David. There's something not right here."  
"I know." Buffy tells her "But your fingerprints were all over that box, like a sign which says I'm Mary Margaret and this is my human heart in this box. While David's are not. So now we have to deal with..." Buffy showed her the mug shot "this."  
"Evidence that says I cut out Kathryn's heart and buried it in the woods? This is insane."  
Buffy turns back to her roommate "If I don't book you, with all this evidence, it's gonna look like I'm playing favourites. Then miss I have a stick up my ass Regina will have cause and she will fire me, and then you know what she'll do? She will bring in someone who she keeps in her pocket. Someone who will railroad you. So please, just try to be patient and trust me. We can't even go on with the investigation till we verify the heart belongs to one Kathryn Nolan. I'm still waiting for the D.N.A test thingy results. In the meantime, you need to bear with me. I have to ask you a few questions."  
Mary Margaret raises her eyebrows but nods "This is crazy. I would never hurt anyone."

Buffy leads Mary Margaret into the Interrogation room. As she opens the door Mary Margaret freezes as Regina, who is sat in one of the chairs turn to the school teacher "Hello, Ms. Blanchard."  
Mary Margaret turns to Buffy confused "What is she doing here?"  
"She made a request which we all know was really a demand more than an actual request. To be here as a third party. To make sure that I stay impartial." Buffy says as she closes the door while Mary Margaret goes to sit down on the chair opposite Regina's and Buffy's chairs'. "It can only help you." Buffy informs her as she takes her seat.  
Mary Margaret nods "I have nothing to hide. Ask me anything." She says to Regina. Regina looks over at Buffy who then switches on the tape recorder and begins. "The heart was found buried near the old Toll Bridge. It had been cut out by what appears to be a hunting knife. Have you even been to that bridge before?"  
Mary Margaret nods "Yes. Many times. It's where David and I liked to meet."  
"Mr. Nolan." Buffy clarifies as she stands from her seat.  
"Yes."  
Buffy walks over to the evidence locker "And you met there...for what purpose?"  
Mary Margaret inhales deeply "We were having an affair." Mary Margaret looks over at Regina "I'm not proud of what happened. And I'm sorry, but that doesn't change the fact that I did not kill Kathryn." Buffy grabs the evidence bag and walks back over to the table. She pulls out the box and places it in front of Mary Margaret "Ever seen this before?"  
Mary Margaret looked confused "Yes. It's my jewelry box."  
Buffy's eyes widened "That's what we found the heart in."  
Mary Margret turned to Regina "Don't you see what's happening here?" She then turned to Buffy "Someone stole that box and put the heart in it. I didn't have anything to do with it. I'm innocent!"  
Regina reaches her hand across the table and places it on Mary Margaret's "Ms. Blanchard, it's okay. I know what you're going through. I know what it's like to lose someone you love, to be publicly humiliated. It put me in a very dark place. Changed me."  
Buffy tilted her head and watched the Mayor suspiciously as she continued " I can only imagine what losing David Nolan did to you."  
Mary Margaret pulls her hand away "But I haven't changed. I'm still the same person I've always been, a good person. I did not do this."  
Buffy takes off the glove she put on to handle the evidence then turns and glares at Regina "Can I speak to you in the hallway, please?" Buffy drops the glove on the table and then heads for the door, Regina following her.

Once the door closes Buffy turns on Regina "I told you to leave the questioning to me. I get that not having control over everything is an unknown experience, for you but questioning is my job."  
"How do you know she didn't do it?" Regina asked "If that box was stolen from her as she claims, don't you think there'd be sighs of a break-in? You're her roommate. Tell me. Has there been a break-in?"  
Buffy sighs "Trust me there are a lot of ways to get in and out of a place without anyone noticing." Buffy said as she thought about all the times she snuck into her house after patrol or even the time she broke into a blood donation office when she was in L.A.  
"She is a woman who's had her heart broken" Regina says "And that...that can make you do unspeakable things."

* * *

Buffy is inspecting the locks on her front door looking for any sign that someone could have broken in. She walks over to the window which was still locked. Buffy sighed, 'That eliminates any chance of someone coming in that way' Buffy thought. Buffy turns back to the door when she hears footsteps approaching. "Henry." Buffy says as Henry enters the apartment "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in that place known as...oh I don't know—school?"  
"We have to help Ms. Blanchard." Henry tells her.  
"What do you think I've been doing? Making tea?" Buffy sighed "I'm searching the apartment. So you gotta go on home. Come on skoot."  
Henry shakes his head "Not gonna happen."  
Buffy tilts her head and watches the boy "Just stay out of the way. Let me do my job." Buffy walked around the apartment to Mary Margaret's room as Henry followed "So what are we looking for?"  
"I'm trying to see if maybe someone broke in. Trust me if anyone knows about sneaking into places and out of them it's me. I did enough of it in high school." Buffy quickly turned to Henry "You did not hear that. Understood?" Henry smirks but nods.  
Buffy smiles then head into the bedroom "Okey-dokey. We're looking for busted doorjambs, broken glass, muddy boot prints—that kind of thing." Buffy tells Henry as she checks the window.  
"So you think someone's setting her up." Henry says.  
Buffy nods "Yep. It's the only thing that makes any sense. Mary Margaret is like a teddy bear, she would cry is she sees a ladybug die. Only problem, no one's got a motive."  
"My mom does."  
"Regina?"  
"She hates Snow White." Buffy looks at Henry with a raised eyebrow "Hey, you wanted a motive."  
Buffy smiles "Well, I don't know a lot about court but I'm pretty sure 'She hates Snow White' won't hold up." Buffy sighs and looks at the photo of Mary Margaret with her class at the ice cream parlour. Buffy turns and falls back onto the bed. As she does she hears a rattling noise. Buffy climbs over the bed and walks over to the heating vent on the floor. She beds down and pulls in open and reaches inside "Did you find something?" Henry asks.  
Buffy pulls out an object wrapped in a cloth. She pulls the fabric away only to discover a hunting knife.

* * *

"I don't think that hot chocolate's gonna drink itself." August says to Henry who is currently sat at the counter of Granny's staring at a mug of hot chocolate. August sits down next to Henry "You're upset about your teacher, aren't you?"  
"She didn't do it." Henry insists "Why can't anyone see that?"  
"Because most people just see what's right in front of them. And I don't think you're gonna find the answers you want at the bottom of that mug."  
Henry picks up the mug "Then where?" He asks before taking a sip.  
"That book in your bag." August nods his head at Henry's bad "You know I'm a writer. So I'm partial to finding my answers in the literary form."  
Henry continues to stare at the mug miserable "It's just a book."  
"Is it?"  
"Yeah."  
August nods "I think we both know that that's not the case." August looks over at the waitress "Can I get a water, please?"  
Henry turns to look at August curious "What do you know about it?"  
Once August's water has been placed on the counter he turns to Henry "I know it's a book of stories."  
Henry smiles "Aren't all books?"  
"Stories...that really happened."  
Henry's eyes widen "You think my book is real?"  
"As real as I am."  
"How do you know?"  
August looks up at the ceiling for a second before turning back to Henry "Let's just say that, uh...I'm a believer, and I want to help others see the light. That, my friend, is why I'm here."  
"But I already believe."  
August leans in closer "Oh, I'm not here for you, Buddy. I'm here for Buffy."  
"So you want to get her to believe? Why don't you just tell her?"  
"Well, there are some people—like you and me—we can go on faith, but others, like Buffy, they need proof. It's how she believed before."  
Henry looked at him confused "Wait what?"  
"You see, Buffy is a special case, she has seen magic but not from the Enchanted Forest. From this world."  
Henry looked intrigued "Wait, there is magic in this world?"  
August smiles "Yes, but it's different tends to come from a much darker source a lot of the time. In this world there are many dangers. Let me ask you something, have you ever seen Buffy do something extraordinary or has she ever said something very... weird?"  
Henry thinks for a moment before remembering something "Yeah, when me and Archie were trapped she came down to get us and when she got us to safety I saw her pull Archie up without a struggle. Like he weighed nothing. Also she says weird things sometimes, when she talks about her past like how a lot of people have tried to hurt her."  
August smiled "You wanna know why you mom is so strong and different?"  
Henry nods so August tells him, "Your mother in this world is a warrior, she was gifted with strength and speed at a young age and was destined to protect the world."  
Henry then remembered something else "She said she died once. I thought she was joking."  
August nodded "Buffy, sacrificed herself a few times to safe the world and at one point she even died and was resurrected by a witch. As far as I now that's how it happened."  
Henry smiled despite his shock that Buffy had in fact died "Wait, Buffy knows people with magic?"  
August nods "yep."  
"So why doesn't she believe in the curse than?"  
"Well Henry, like I said the magic that made this town is different. As far as Buffy is concerned there is no evidence supporting your theory."  
"So we need proof?" Henry asks causing August to nod "Last time I tried to find proof, I got trapped in a sinkhole." Henry tells the writer.  
August smiles "There are less dangerous places to look." August pointed at Henry's book before getting up and heading off.

* * *

"The heating vent?" Mary Margaret asks Buffy as her voice breaks "Buffy, I don't even know where the heating vent in my bedroom is."  
Buffy stares at the woman currently locked up in the cell "Well, someone did, and they put a hunting knife in there. And not even a good one."  
Mary Margaret gives Buffy a pointed look "Sorry." Buffy says "I checked for sighs of a break-in, but that was a no go."  
Buffy looks away while Mary Margret looks at her sadly "You don't believe me."  
Buffy steps forward "Of course I do. But what I think won't matter. Evidence is being dropped at my feet again and again, it's like a freaking tower and said tower is growing by the hour."  
Mary Margaret leaned her head against the bars "Okay, what are you saying?"  
"I'm saying you should think about hiring a lawyer."  
"An excellent idea." A voice says from behind them. Buffy turns to see Mr. Gold "What are you doing here?" Buffy demanded.  
Gold shrugged "Offering my legal services."  
Buffy chuckled then looked back at Gold "oh, God your not kidding. You're a lawyer?"  
Gold nodded and started to walk towards the two women "Ever wondered why I was so adept at contracts? I've been following the details of your case, Ms. Blanchard, and I think you'd be well-advised to bring me on as you counsel."  
"And why is that?" Mary Margaret asked slightly confused by the situation.  
"Well, because the Sheriff had me arrested for nearly beating a man to death, and I managed to persuade the judge to drop the charges."  
Buffy turned to Gold "Asserting whatever influence or voodoo crap you have isn't needed. We need to find the truth."  
"Exerting influence may be exactly what's needed here." Gold argues.  
"What's needed is for me to do my job."  
"Well, no one's stopping you. I'm only here to help."  
"Enough." Mary Margaret said "Please go."  
"You heard her." Buffy said to Gold.  
Mary Margaret interjects "No, I was talking to you." Buffy turned to her roommate stunned "Oh, Buffy, he's right." Mary Margaret says "I need help. And you need to do your job, or else I'm screwed. So just please, do your job the best you can and you'll prove me innocent. Until you do, I need some practical help."  
Gold stepped closer "Trust me." He tells them "This is in Ms. Blanchard's best interests."  
Buffy hesitated then looked at her friend "Good luck, Mary Margaret. I hope your best interests are what he's looking out for." Buffy glares at Gold before walking out of the station.

* * *

When Buffy gets back to the apartment she sees Henry sitting on the staircase outside the front door. The moment he sees her he smiles "I have proof." Buffy looked at the boy curiously as he raised a large key chain holding lots of skeleton keys. "This is how my mom got into your apartment. This is how she framed Ms. Blanchard."  
Buffy steps over to Henry and takes the keys "Did you steal these from her office?"  
"Yeah."  
Buffy's shook her head "My god it's like dealing with Dawn all over again. Just less screaming."  
Henry looked at Buffy confused but went on anyway "The book said they could open any door."  
Buffy looks at the keys skeptically "There's no way. No chance they'll even fit in the lock. Their really weird."  
Henry stands and grabs the keys "We have to try." He says before walking over to the front door. Henry put one of the keys in the lock but when it didn't fit he tried another. Buffy sighed "See? I was right. Come on, kid. I know you wanna believe everything ties back to operation Cobra—"  
"It does!"  
"Look sometimes the real world as much as it sucks it's gotta come first. Trust me I know."  
"Just try one more." He begged "Please."  
Buffy rolled her eyes "Fine. But when I'm right you owe me pie."  
Henry smiled "You do it." He holds out the keys towards Buffy "This one." He says pointing at one of the keys.  
"Okay." Buffy takes the key and puts it in the lock. When it fits Buffy turns it and unlocks the door, the door swings open. Buffy stares in shock. "Believe now?" Henry asks as Buffy continues to stare at the now open door.

* * *

The next morning Buffy heads over to Mary Margaret's cell and hands her a takeout bag from Granny's and a cup of coffee "Hey. Breakfast."  
Mary Margaret takes the food offering "Thanks." She says before going to sit on the bed.  
Buffy leans against the outside of the cell "I know Mr. Gold doesn't want us to talk hell he doesn't even want us to whisper. But I thought you should hear this from me. The results thingy came back on the heart, and D.N.A was a match for Kathryn. She's dead. I'm sorry...for a lot of things, like a lot a lot. But now that we have proof of the death, we have enough evidence to move forward with a case against you. It's gonna happen." Buffy sits down on the edge of the couch opposite the cell "You know I believe you, right."  
"Yeah." Mary Margaret whispers.  
"All this evidence crap just proofs to me that some sick son of a bitch is framing you. And honestly I would put my cash and my favourite pair of shoes on the Regina is framing you button."  
Mary Margaret stands and walks over to Buffy "Then why am I still in here? Why don't you confront her?"  
Buffy stands "Because from past experiences I know that belief is not proof."  
"But you just said."  
"If I don't do this right, things will end up worse for you. Every time I've gone up against Regina, she's seen it coming and I've ended up losing and swimming with the sharks."  
"So what makes this time any different?"  
Buffy smiles "Because this time her bat ears have no idea that I suspect anything."  
Mary Margret looks away "Why would she do this to me?"  
"Beats me. But i'm gonna find out, even if it means resorting to some of my less, well stellar methods. And I promise, I won't stop until I expose what she's up to."  
"And how are you going to do that? This is her town."  
"I'm working on it. I have faith in you. Now I need you to have faith in me. Which is something I haven't asked for in a long time. So can you do that?" Buffy sniffles slightly as she tries to keep from crying.  
"Of course." Mary Margaret responds in a flat tone. Buffy nods then quickly makes her way out of the station.

* * *

"Mr. Gold." Buffy says as she enters the back room of the pawn shop. Gold turns around to face Buffy "Just taking inventory." Gold tells her "What can I do for you, Ms. Summers?"  
Gold sits down at the desk as he continues "Any developments in the case I should be aware of?"  
Buffy nods "Yes. Regina set her up."  
"And this surprises you? Show me your evidence, and we'll get this over with immediately."  
Buffy leans forwards "Yeah. Bout that. Here's the thing, I don't have any—anything that a court would even glance at. But I know it now."  
"Look who's suddenly become a woman of faith."  
"Yeah, could you not put it that way?"  
Gold looks at her curiously but continues "Why are you here, Ms. Summers? To spin conspiracy theories?"  
Buffy shrugs "Well, as much as I would love to use my usual methods of getting information out of monsters, unfortunately Regina doesn't fit into that specific monster type category. So I need help."  
"From me?"  
"Every time I've gone up against Regina, I've lost, except for one time. You know that time little old me became sheriff, when you helped."  
"As I recall, you don't exactly approve of my methods."  
"I approve of your results. And this time, I have something that out weights my job. I have to safe my friend."  
"And you're willing to go as far as it takes?"  
"Farther."  
Gold smirks "Now we're talking. Fear not Ms. Summers. Regina may be powerful, but something tells me. You have more power than you know."


	21. Hat Trick

Hey Everyone I'm here with a new chapter and also want to suggest that you read my other stories including The Final War which is a crossover with aspects of Buffy, Angel and Supernatural. Anyway hope you enjoy this chapter. We are getting closer to the season 1 final Ahh!"

* * *

 **Hat Trick**

* * *

Buffy and Gold are walking into the Sheriff's station when Buffy sees Henry sitting reading his book. "Henry. What are you doing?"  
Henry closed the book and turned to Buffy with a huge smile on his face "I came to congratulate you."  
"Am I missing something here? For what?"  
"Your genius plan."  
Gold looks over at Henry confused "And what plan's that, Henry?" When Henry didn't answer Gold understood that Henry would not speak while he was still there "Right." Gold said before quickly walking into the main area of the Sheriff's Startion.

Once Gold was gone Henry looked at Buffy "Sorry. I thought Mr. Gold was in on it now that he's Ms. Blanchard's lawyer,"  
Buffy looked at Henry confused "Yeah, I'm still not getting this. In on what?"  
"The escape plan."  
"Huh?"  
A second later Mr. Gold's voice came from the other room "Sheriff, could you join me, please?"  
Buffy quickly headed into the room as Henry followed her. Buffy froze when she saw Mary Margaret's empty cell.  
"She's gone." Gold said as he stared at the cell.  
Buffy moved over to the cell "Henry, what did you do?"  
"Nothing." Henry insists "She was gone when I got here."  
"Her arraignment's tomorrow. If she's not there—"  
Buffy interrupted Gold "She's a fugitive. Doesn't matter if she's convicted for Kathryn or not, she's screwed." Buffy turns away from the cell and heads for the door "I have to go find her before someone notices she's disappeared."  
"Oh, you mean Regina?"  
Buffy nods "The arraignment's at 8:00 A.M. I'm sure she'll be here. From what I can see, she seems like the gloating kind. That kind always like to celebrate their victory bright and early."  
"You have until 8:00 A.M. then."  
"What about me?" Henry asked "How can I help?"  
Buffy who had just grabbed a flashlight from her office turned to the boy "Oh, I don't know. Go home."  
Henry stepped closer "Buffy. If she leaves Storybrooke—"  
Buffy rolled her eyes "So not the time Henry, come on." Buffy starts to pull Henry and the two of them head for the exit.  
"Ms. Summers" Gold's voice stops Buffy in her tracks "I know time is of the essence, but if Ms. Blanchard doesn't return, her future's in jeopardy, and if you're caught helping her, so is yours."  
"I don't care. I've lost a lot of jobs before, I would rather add another to that list than lose my friend." Buffy tells him before walking out of the station.

* * *

Buffy drives and ends up by the forest as she drives she doesn't notice the man walking on the side of the road until the last moment, she quickly swerves the car as the man falls to the side.  
Buffy runs out of the car and over to the man "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Buffy runs over and helps him stand and mumbles to her self "God, Snyder was right I do drive like a spaz." Buffy pulled the man up and back onto the pavement.  
"I think so." He replies.  
"Are you sure? Your not just saying that, then the moment I'm out of sight your gonna pass out?"  
The man chuckles "No. I'm fine. I'm not used to sharing the road with cars so late." The man looks over at Buffy "You're the Sheriff, aren't you?"  
"Yeah." Buffy replies.  
"What brings you out here in the middle of the night?"  
"Oh, nothing to worry about." Buffy assures him "I'm just looking for a long dog."  
The man smiles "Well, I hope you find it."  
"Thanks."  
When the man turns to walk away Buffy notices the limp "I knew it! You are hurt."  
The man looks down at his ankle "No, I just twisted my ankle, I think. I live just a mile down the road. I'll make it okay."  
"Nope, come on, let me drive you."  
The man chuckles and turns to Buffy "Thank you." He then holds out his hand "I'm Jefferson."  
Buffy takes his hand and smiles "Buffy." The two of them then climb in Buffy's car and drive off.

* * *

Buffy pulls up in front of the large mansion. As she climbs out of the car she turned to Jefferson "This is your house. Wow I mean just...wow. It looks more like one of places you see on MTV. Let me guess you've got family coming out of your ears."  
Jefferson closes the door and looks over at Buffy "No. It's just me." He starts to head up the stairs, when Buffy sees him still limping she quickly turns off the car engine "Hey, wait, wait." She closes the car door and walks over to him and helps him up the stairs.

* * *

Buffy is standing in one of the many living rooms when Jefferson walks in "I thought you might want to warm up for your search." He says as he places as tray of tea on the table "It's cold out there."  
Buffy smiles "That's sweet, but I think I better book. Gotta get back to the search."  
"I know." Jefferson says as he hands her a cup of tea, before picking up a map "That's why I brought this. I'm a bit of an amateur cartographer. Mapping the area is a hobby." Jefferson opens the map and places it on top of the piano "Maybe this will help you track down your dog."  
Buffy took another sip of her tea and then glanced down at the map "Wow."  
"What's his name?"  
Buffy thinks for a moment then a name pops into her head "Mr. Gordo."  
The man looks at Buffy slightly confused, Buffy laughs "It's named after a stuffed animal."  
Jefferson chuckles "Cute."  
Buffy looks back down at the map "Well, route 6 runs the boundary of the forest, so..." Buffy finishes the rest of her tea before continuing "So if I just follow that, I should...be able to..." Buffy starts to lose her balance.  
"Is something wrong?"  
Buffy starts to feel dizzy "I'm just, uh, feeling a little..."  
She starts to fall back but Jefferson catches her "Oh. Let me help you."  
"Dizzy." Buffy finishes as Jefferson pulls her and places her on the couch.  
"Let's just lie you down here. There you go. Let me get you some air."  
Jefferson starts to leave the room when Buffy notices something "Your limp..."  
Jefferson stops "Oh. That. I guess you caught me."  
Buffy drops the cup and right before she passes out she looks up at Jefferson "You son of a bitch. Who are you?"

* * *

Buffy wakes up a little while later and realises her hands are bound behind her back and she has been gaged. Buffy sighs and sits up she rips her hands out of the rope easily tearing through it. She then pulls out the gage around her mouth and undoes the rope around her feet. "Thank god, for slayer powers." Buffy mumbles before standing up and making her way to the windows. Buffy looks at the windows which were locked. Buffy knew she could break through the glass, but not without Jefferson hearing her. Buffy then noticed the telescope by the window, she looked through the scope only to see the Sheriff station. Buffy heads over to the door and silently opened it. From the gap in the door she could see Jefferson sharpening a pair of scissors. Buffy silently snuck out of the room. When she heard Jefferson move she quickly moved into another room. "Dammit, he had to be human." Buffy whispers to herself, cursing at the whole no hurting people rule.

"Buffy." A muffled voice said from behind the slayer.  
Buffy turns around and is shocked to see Mary Margaret gagged and tied to chair "Help me." The terrified woman begs.  
Buffy quickly walks over to her and whispers "What is going on?"  
Buffy pulls the gage out of Mary Margaret's mouth "Buffy, thank god." The school teacher cries.  
Buffy crouches on the floor and starts to pull the rope and tape around her legs "What are you doing here?"  
"I was in the woods, trying to get away. This man appeared out of nowhere and grabbed me. Why are you here?"  
Buffy rips the tape "I've been trying to find you. You know you did a whole hudini thing earlier and escaped, remember?" Buffy stands "How did you get out?"  
"There was a key...in my cell, under my pillow. Someone put it there."  
"Who?"  
Mary Margaret stands as she removes the rest of the tape "I don't know. I'd like to know just as much as you." Buffy slowly opens the door and pulls Mary Margaret with her. Buffy freezes when she sees the gun in Jefferson's hand "I see you've found Mr. Gordo."  
Buffy glared at the man "You there is this thing us cops use, it's called backup. And pal, they'll be here any second."  
"You haven't called anybody. For the same reason you didn't tell me about her. You don't want anybody to know you're here, which means nobody does. Now we both know your not bullet proof. Point in case the shot wound right above your heart. So now tie her back up."  
Mary Margaret stared at Buffy stunned by the news that the blonde had been shot before.

* * *

Buffy slowly puts the gage back it Mary Margaret's mouth "Buffy." The school teacher whisper.  
"It's gonna be okay." Buffy assures her before securing the material in her mouth. Buffy stands and turns towards Jefferson "Your telescope. You've been watching me. Why?"  
Jefferson steps closer to Buffy "I need you to do something." He grabs Buffy's arm and drags her out of the room as Mary Margaret yells.  
Jefferson shoves Buffy into another room causing Buffy to glare "Listen here Mr. I have a fetish for tying people up, I don't know what you think you're doing, but if you hurt my friend, I swear I will rip out your ribcage and wear it as a hat."  
Jefferson closes the door and moves closer to Buffy "Hurt her? I'm saving her life."  
Buffy backs away from him as he moves in on her "Really? And how does your delusional mind figure that?"  
"Don't play stupid. We both know what happens when people try to leave Storybrooke."  
"What are you taking about?"  
"The curse."  
Buffy stops in her tracks and stares up at the man "What curse?"  
"The one keeping us all trapped. All except you."  
Buffy looks at him confused "Have you been reading Henry's book?"  
"Henry?" Jefferson asks confused "You mean the Queen's father?"  
"Henry, the Mayor's adopted kid." Buffy clarifies.  
"Oh, Henry. Your Henry. And his book of stories. The ones that you choose to ignore. Maybe if you knew what I know, you wouldn't."  
"Why have you been spying on me? Cause I'm guessing it has nothing to do with wanting to learn about what shoes I wear."

Jefferson moves around Buffy and points the gun at the back of her head for a second before moving around the back of the table into the centre of the room. Buffy sighed she knew she couldn't stop the bullet if he fired the gun, and she couldn't risk Mary Margaret getting hurt, Buffy knew she would have to wait for the mad man to drop his guard. "Because for the last 26 years" Jefferson explained "I've been stuck in this house, day after day, always the same. Until one night, you, in your little blue mustang, roll into town. And the clock ticks and things start to change. You see...I know what you refuse to acknowledge, Buffy. You're special. You brought something precious to Storybrooke—magic."  
Buffy smiled "Your insane."  
"Because I speak the truth?"  
"No. Because your talking about Fairytale characters being brought to this world by magic."  
"I'm talking about what I've seen. Perhaps you're the one that's mad."  
Buffy nods her head "Really?" She asks as Jefferson moves back around her and stands behind the blonde slayer.  
"What's crazier than seeing and not believing? Because that's exactly what you've been doing since you got to our little hamlet. Open you eyes. Look around. Wake up. Isn't it about time."  
Buffy rolled her eyes "Enough with story time, what do you want?"  
"I want you to get it work."  
Jefferson tries to shove Buffy in the chair but he can't move her. He looks at her confused before she lowers herself onto the chair "You want me to get what to work? Cause honestly I'm better at destroying things then making them work."  
Jefferson leans in close and speaks into her ear "You're the only one who can do this. And you're gonna get it to work."  
Buffy stares at the equipment in front of her and looks at Jefferson as he places a dark cloth in front of her "Make one like that." He  
says pointing to the hat on the table.  
Buffy looks at him skeptically "You want me to make you a hat? Can't you just buy one? Plus you have like a zillion."  
"Well, none of them work, do they? Or else you wouldn't be here. Now make a hat and get it to work."  
Buffy picks up a needle and thread "Yeah, I can't sew unless it involves wounds that I am surprisingly good at but this—"  
"You have magic. You can do it."  
Buffy laughed "Yeah, trust me, I am the last person on the planet that would have magic."  
Jefferson watched Buffy curiously, it seemed as though she knew more about magic than she was letting on.  
Buffy looked around the room at the tea and the cups, when everything started to click in her head "The hats, the tea...your very Drusilla like psychotic behaviour. You think you're the mad hatter."  
Jefferson shifted in his seat "My name's Jefferson."  
"Okay. Drusillaman you've clearly glommed on to my kid Henry's thing. They're just stories. The mat hatter is in 'Alice in Wonderland', a book. A book I actually read which, trust me is very rare."  
"Stories. Stories? What's a story? When you were in high school, did you learn about the civil war?"  
Buffy shrugged "A little I skipped most of my history classes."  
"Okay, well when you were there how? Did you read about it, perchance, in a book? How is that any less real than any other book?"  
Buffy sighed "Oh, I don't know, maybe because history books are based on, well history."  
"And story books are based on what, imagination? Where does that come from? It has to come from somewhere. You know what the issue is with this world? Everyone wants a magical solution for their problem, and everyone refuses to believe in magic." Buffy looks away causing Jefferson to look at her oddly "You keep doing that. You get that all knowing look whenever I say 'magic'."  
Buffy looks at him and glares "I don't know what your talking about?"  
Jefferson smiles "You do believe. Not in the curse but in magic. You've seen it."  
Buffy sends the madman a hatful glare "You have no idea what you are talking about."  
"Admit it! Otherwise your little friend will be in a lot of danger. Admit it! Admit it! Admit it! Admit it! Admit it!"  
"Fine!" Buffy screams as Jefferson heads for the door. As she does he stops "I've seen it the best and the worst of it."  
Jefferson smiles and goes to sit back down "Tell me. How do you know about magic? It's not supposed to be in this world."  
Buffy inhales deeply "Something happened to me when I was 15 okay. I met a witch, with powerful magic and she helped me. I learned that magic is dark in this world it tends to come from demonic sources more than anything. I have seen it devour people and turn them into killers."  
Jefferson smiles "Well, that's different. Now get it to work." Jefferson gestures to the hat and points the gun at Buffy again.  
"Here's the thing, Jefferson. This is it. This is the real world."  
"A real world. You believe in magic yet you don't believe in other worlds."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "No, I believe in alternative realities and different dimensions. Trust me I've been to my fair share of other dimensions. But a world filled with fairytale characters, that I know, is not real."  
"Oh, but it is. There are many worlds, Buffy. Each with their own rules some have magic. Some don't. And some need magic...and unfortuanitly it seems that this town doesn't have access to magic from this world. So that's where you come in. You and your friend are not leaving here until you make my hat. Until you get it to work."  
Buffy picks up the scissors Jefferson places in front of her and looks up "And then what?"  
Jefferson sighs "And then I go home."

* * *

Buffy throws the hat on the table in frustration "I can't make it work. What you're asking me is impossible, I'm not a witch." Buffy stands from her chair as does Jefferson who grabs the hat "No, it has to be. If it's not I'm never going home. I'll be cursed to live in this house forever."  
"Do you even understand what having a cursed life means? I mean come on look at this place, it's amazing here."  
Jefferson walks over to the telescope by the window "It's cursed, because like everyone else here, what I love has been ripped from me. Take a look."  
He gestures at the telescope. Buffy walks over and looks through the scope only to see a young girl eating with her parents. "Her name is Grace." Jefferson tells her "Here it's Paige. But it's Grace. My Grace. Do you have any idea what it's like to watch her day in and day out, happy, with new family, with a new father?"  
Buffy turned to Jefferson "You think she's your daughter?"  
"I don't think. I know. I remember. She had no idea who I am our life together, where we come from. I do. That's my curse."  
"To remember."  
"What good is this house, these things, if I can't share them with her."  
Jefferson back away so he is sitting on the edge of the table. Buffy walks over to him "If you really think she's your daughter, why don't you reach out to her? Why don't you tell her?"  
Jefferson stands "And destroy her reality? I'm trapped by knowledge. How cruel do you think I am? You think I'd inflict that awareness on my daughter? It's hard enough to live in a land where you don't belong, but knowing it, holing conflicting realities in your head...will drive you mad."  
"That's why you want me to make the hat work isn't it? You just wanna take Grace home, to your world."  
"It's the one world where we can be together...where she'll remember who I am."  
Buffy looked up at Jefferson sadly "I know what it's like to be separated from you kid."  
"Yeah, you do, don't you?"  
"It can make you feel like you're losing your mind."  
"I'm not losing my mind. I'm not crazy. This real."  
"Maybe. Maybe it is."  
"You believe?"  
"I lost my mother years ago, I never go to say goodbye. If what you say is true, then maybe if I open my self up more, if I start believing, I can find magic that will finally allow me to say goodbye. Which is something I want more than anything in the world."  
Jefferson nods "So you're gonna help me? You can get it to work?"  
"I can try it."  
Jefferson smiled and turned his back and he picked up the hat and when he turned back around to Buffy she punched him in the face sending him flying over the table and into the corner of the room. "Crazy son of a bitch. God, you make Drusilla look like the sanest person on the planet." Buffy quickly grabs the gun and runs to get Mary Margaret.

Buffy opens the door where Mary Margaret was being kept and ran over to her pulling the gage out of her mouth "Hey are you okay? I'm gonna get you out of here. You're gonna be okay. He can't hurt you anymore."  
Buffy hears someone running at her from behind and spins around just as Mary Margaret screams "Buffy, look out!"  
Jefferson runs at Buffy but she grabs him and throws him into the side of the room. Before quickly untying Mary Margaret. Jefferson gets up again and pushes Mary Margaret to the ground and jumps on Buffy. The two fall to the ground Buffy kicks Jefferson in the stomach before flipping her self back up. Jefferson gets back up and Buffy does a spinning back kick sending Jefferson flying back towards the floor right in front of window. He stands again and as does he picks up his hat and shows Buffy he neck "Off with his head."  
Mary Margaret hits Jefferson with a mallet she found then kicks him in the stomach causing him to fly out of the window.  
Mary Margret turns to Buffy "You okay."  
Buffy nods "yeah."  
The two look out of the window only to discover Jefferson was not there.

* * *

Outside Mary Margaret picks up Jefferson's hat while Buffy looks around "There's no sign of him anywhere. God, he's worse than freaking Dracula."  
"Who was he?" Mary Margaret asked.  
"A very lonely and Drusilla like man. By the way, Have you been taking kickboxing and not telling me about it?"  
"I have no idea where that came from. And since when do you know kung fu."  
Buffy takes a nervous breath "That, is—a long story."

The two walk around the back of the house when Mary Margaret spots something "Buffy, look."  
Buffy turns and sees her car she runs over to it and opens the door only to see the keys on the front seat. She picks up the keys and smiles as she shows them to Mary Margaret. Buffy quickly closes the door and walks over to her friend. Mary Margaret sighs "So, Sheriff, I guess you'll be taking me back now."  
Buffy tosses her the key to the mustang "Here."  
Mary Margaret smiles "You want me to run?"  
"No, but it's your choice. Just know something—running is not easy. Trust me I have been doing it since I was 15. But as a fugitive , trust me once you go there's no stopping."  
Mary Margaret shakes her head "Buffy, everyone thinks I killed Kathryn."  
"Mary Margaret, you have to believe me. You have to trust me. I know is seems like the most impossible thing in the world, but I can get you out of this."  
"Why is it so important to you what happens to me?"  
"Look when Regina framed me, and you bailed me out, I asked you why and you said you trusted me. Which is something no one has said to me in a long time. And when I wanted to take off and get back on the road 'cause I though it was best for Henry, you told me I needed to stay because that was the best for him. And I realised, ever since I left Sunnydale, I have been alone. My walls have been up even longer than that. When I was in Sunnydale I was expected to be the leader, to be there for everyone else. And after all that no one was there for me, except for the person who helped me disappear and you. And I can't lose that. I cannot lose my family." Buffy tells her friend as she hold back tears.  
Mary Margaret smiles "Family?"  
"Friends, whatever. You know what I mean. Would you rather go all lone rider on this of face it together."  
Mary Margaret waits a moment then holds out the keys for Buffy.  
Buffy smiles but then the town clock tower bell goes off. "The arraignment. Regina."

* * *

After making sure Mary Margaret got back to the sheriff's station in time Buffy headed to Henry's school where Henry was currently sitting on a bench. "Henry." Buffy said as she sat next to the boy "Well, I found Mary Margaret."  
"How is she?" Henry asked.  
"As good as can be expected. Although I've been accused of bad stuff before so my guess is a lot worse than she says."  
"Hi Henry." A girl said as she walked past the two. Henry smiles as Buffy watched the girl "Who is that?"  
"Her name is Paige." Henry tells her "She goes to school with me."  
Buffy watches the girl for another moment before turning back to her son "Henry, do you have your storybook with you? Can I see it?"  
Henry pulled his backpack onto his lap "Yeah, why?"  
"I'm just curious about something." Buffy tells him.  
Henry hands Buffy the book who opens it and fins the story Jefferson was talking about. "What?" Henry asked confused "What is it?"  
"Nothing."  
"Buffy? Buffy?" Buffy raises her head finally brought back from reality and looks at Henry just as the bell rings "I gotta go." The boy tells her.  
"Right. Can I hold on to this?"  
Henry smiled "Absolutely." He said before quickly running off inside the school.


	22. The Stable Boy

**The Stable Boy**

* * *

 _Once Upon a time an evil queen...  
_ _Banished every storybook character you've ever known to our world.  
_ _Who knows the truth?  
_ _And who can break the spell?_

* * *

Buffy leaves Granny's and starts to head for her car when David runs over to her "Buffy, hey."  
Buffy continues to walk "Look, David, I don't have time, I got to book."  
"No, I-I understand. It's Mary Margaret. How's she doing?"  
"Oh, I don't know, how do you think she's doing?"  
"Well, I think the last time we spoke, she didn't quite get what I meant."  
Buffy shakes her head as she grabs her keys "Oh, you mean that little thing where, you told her you thought she might be guilty?"  
David sighs "Look, it's this situation. It's been confusing and horrible for everyone. But, Buffy, I don't think she's guilty. I need her to know that. Can I see her?"  
Buffy looks at David "The she in question says she doesn't want visitors."  
David nods "You mean me. She doesn't want to see me."  
"Honestly, David, I'm sure your heart is in the right place, but I doubt right now she needs words of encouragement from you." Buffy says before climbing into her car.  
"What does she need?"  
"A miracle. And right now those are on short supply." Buffy says before she closes the door and drives off.

* * *

Buffy stands in front of Mary Margaret's cell talking to Mr. Gold "A pretrial interview with the prosecution? Explain to me how in a million years that would ever be a good idea."  
Mr. Gold gestures to Mary Margaret "The D.A. merely wishes to ask Ms. Blanchard a few questions."  
"She's done with the answering questions thing. And why are kissing up to the D.A.? I have a thought why aren't we going after Regina? She's the one that stuck her claws into this and framed Mary Margaret."  
"And what proof do we have of that, Sheriff? Just because you found the Mayor's skeleton key in the cell doesn't mean we can prove she put it there."  
Buffy sighs "Okay, then what's your so ingenious plan?"  
"I believe our best chance of winning this case is to employ our most valuable asset."  
"What's that?" Mary Margaret asks.  
Gold turns to Mary Margaret "Well, that's you, dear. A sweet, kind elementary schoolteacher. Doesn't exactly fit the prototype of a killer, now does it?"  
Buffy looks at Gold skeptically "That's your oh so brilliant plan. That's how you're gonna get her acquitted. By using her personality?"  
"Perception is everything, Ms. Summers—not just in the courtroom, but in life. As such, I'm sure you can imagine how the jury would perceive Ms. Blanchard if she agreed to cooperate with the district attorney. These things engender trust. It shows the jury she's at least trying—"  
"Buffy?" A voice says from the door. Buffy turns to see Sidney "Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt." Sidney shows Buffy the vase of flowers "I just, uh, came by to drop these off. I thought they might brighten the place up."  
Buffy walks over to Sidney who is now standing in her office "I can't guarantee they'll live. I mean I kill my goldfish." Buffy shook her self back to focus "What did you find?"  
"Nothing." He tells her "I'm sorry, Buffy. I tried. I really did. I looked into her phone records. I talked to the people at the toll bridge. But look, what can I say? Regina knows how to cover her tracks."  
"What about that creepy ass hunting knife? The actual murder weapon. Is there no trail back to her?"  
"From what I can tell, she never bought or owned a hunting knife."  
"That's all you be able to dig up?"  
"Don't worry I'm gonna keep digging, and I won't stop until I do find something." Buffy watches as Sidney then leaves the room, she turns and heads back towards Gold and Mary Margaret who had been whispering "I'm gonna do it." The schoolteacher said to Buffy "I'm gonna talk to the D.A."  
Buffy fold her arms "Are you sure?"  
Mary Margaret nods "Mr. Gold's right. I know I have nothing to hide, but no one else does. I need to let people see me for who I am."  
"Excellent decision, Ms Blanchard." Says a man who had just walked into the office. Everyone turned to see the older man in a suit "My name is Spencer. I'm the district Attorney. Shall we begin?" Regina who had walked in after Spencer smiled as Mary Margaret nodded "Yeah."

* * *

 **Cleveland:**

Dawn walked in through the front door at Willow's house in Cleveland. She had gotten back from Scotland a few weeks ago and had agreed to meet with Willow. Dawn walked in the living room and sat down on one of the chairs , before grabbing her phone to check her messages. When she realised she had none she sighed. She hadn't heard from Buffy in weeks not since Buffy had told her that something bad had, happened to a friend of hers and that she wouldn't be able to talk for a while. Dawn had tried to get more information or even find out where exactly Buffy was, but Buffy was hesitant and very careful with any details she gave, not wanting to say anything that could risk exposing her location.  
"Hi Dawnie." Willow said with a smile as she walked into the room. Dawn looked away from her phone and forced a smile on her face "Hey."  
Willow frowned and sat down next to Dawn "What's wrong Dawnie, something's eaten you up."  
Dawn sighed "I spoke to Buffy. Actually a couple of times. But a few weeks ago she stopped calling and answering my calls. I'm just worried."  
Willow gave the girl a small smile and move the hair out of Dawn's face "Honey, I'm sure she's fine. She is Buffy after all, she can take care of anything that's thrown at her."  
Dawn nodded "I guess your right."  
Willow grinned "Of course I am." Dawn laughed "Now, did Buffy tell you about the whole having a kid thing."  
Dawn nodded again "Yeah, she did. Willow, he's ten."  
Willow started coughing in shock "Wait what?"  
"Yeah, turned out Angel-not exactly her first time. It happened when she spent the summer with our bitch of an aunt, the summer right before she became the slayer."  
Willow's eyes shot open wide "Wait, you mean, Buffy was pregnant when she became the slayer?"  
"Yeah, Buffy found out she was about two three months along a little while after she was called. She had the baby the same day she burnt down the school gym, and then gave him up for adoption."  
Willow leaned back in her chair "Wow. Thats—"  
"Crazy?" Dawn interjected "Yeah, I know."  
"Did she tell you where she was?"  
Dawn shook her head "No, she may be opening up to me more but every time I bring it up she changes the subject plus she is very vague and careful with what she tells me." Dawn looked down at her hands sadly.  
Willow noticed and took one of Dawn's hands in her own "Hey, it's gonna take time. But who knows maybe one day soon."  
Willow gave the girl a soft smile. Dawn smiled back but the smile didn't reach her eyes as she knew deep down it was very likely that it could a long time before Buffy was ready to trust her again.

* * *

 **Storybrooke, Maine**

Buffy was sitting on the bench by the docks reading Henry's book when August walked over to her "What you doing?"  
Buffy closed the book and turned to August "Grasping at straws." She told him before putting the book back in her bag.  
August hands Buffy the newspaper "Still trying to find a way to prove your friend's been framed?"  
Buffy sighed "Every time I walk through one door hoping to find something I meet a brick wall. Always dead ends. I used to be better at stuff like this, although my methods were rather different."  
August raises an eyebrow "What type of methods?"  
Buffy chuckles "Honestly breaking and entering, as well as beating the town snitch for information. All things I cannot do as Sheriff."  
August sat down on the bench next to her "It sounds like you got a case of writer's block, only without the whole writing part."  
Buffy shrugs "Maybe."  
"You know, when I get stuck by a block, I usually reread what I've done rather than plow ahead blindly. Sometimes I find there will be a little nugget of inspiration left behind."  
Buffy pouts "You mean wipe the slate clean. Start over?"  
"I mean, when I start writing, I usually have one idea, and then in the middle, I may get another idea, and things are different."  
Buffy thinks for a moment "So your perspective changes."  
August smiles "Exactly. When you started this investigation, what was it about?"  
"A missing person."  
"Then it became a murder and then a cover-up. If you knew that then, maybe you would have approached things differently."  
Buffy has a thought and starts to get up "Where are you going?" August asked confused.  
Buffy stands then turns to August "Scene of the crime."  
"I'll drive." August says as he stands and starts to follow her.  
"No, I'm fine."  
"No, you're not. You haven't slept in days. And let's be honest. It was my idea."

The two of them drove on August's motorcycle down to the toll Bridge. Once they got there Buffy headed to the crime scene "Ruby found the box with heart right over here, just by the shore." Buffy tells August as she leads him down to the spot. As they are walking August inhales sharply and groans in pain. Buffy turns to him "Hey, what's up? Your all twitchy."  
August shakes his head "Nothing."  
Buffy looks down at August's leg "Really, cause I've seen nothing and that is not nothing, that is something. Come on, let me see."  
August steps away from her grasp "No, it's okay. It's just a shin splint. Just let me walk it off."  
Buffy shrugs and moves around to the exact place Ruby found the box, "I'm sorry." August says causing Buffy to turn her focus to him. "I know this must be hard on you."  
Buffy crouches by the hole in the ground "Yep, that would be the understatement of the year."  
"I don't know you that well, but it seems to me, that aside from Henry, Mary Margaret's the closet thing to family you've got. It's okay to admit it."  
Buffy continues to dig through the sand when she notices something "August, look."  
As August walks over Buffy pulls a small piece of metal out of the sand "What is it?" August asks as he takes the metal in his hands.  
"It's a shard." Buffy informs him "From a shovel. My guess it went snap when it hit the rock." Buffy then realises something "If we can find the shovel that it broke off of, we can prove that Mary Margaret didn't go into the burying hearts business. Which means, we can prove that she's innocent."  
August smiles "And I'm gonna guess you know exactly whose shovel it is." Buffy smiles as she takes the shard out of August's hand.

August and Buffy are outside the Mayor's house waiting for Henry to give them the go ahead. Suddenly Henry's voice come on from over the walkie talkie "The eagle is in the nest. And the package is secure."  
"Henry. I left the code book at home." Buffy tells him.  
Buffy can hear Henry sigh "She's getting in the shower and the keys are under the mat."  
Buffy lifts up the mat and grabs the small key, she slowly unlocks the door then turns to August and whispers "Don't touch a thing."  
August smirked and raised his hands where he was wearing leather gloves.  
The two enter the room and look around as they look Buffy spots the shovel she walks over to it and calls for August "Hey."  
August walks over just as Buffy raises the shard and places it in the broken part of the shovel where it fits perfectly. "We got her." Buffy says with a smile.

* * *

The next morning Buffy knocks on the mayor's front door, when Regina opens the door she steps outside "Can I help you, Sheriff Summers?"  
Buffy nods "That would be a yes. I need you to unlock the garage for me."  
"And why would I do that?"  
Buffy holds out a piece of paper towards Regina "Because I have a search warrant. Which means your choices are now... or well now. Cause you have to."  
Regina scoffs "On what grounds?"  
Buffy raises the evidence bag containing the shard "I found this near where the heart was buried, figures whoever buried it might have left something behind. Then what do you know, I get an anonymous call from someone who claims to have seen you having a nice dig near the Toll Bridge. The same day said heart was buried."  
Regina looks at Buffy skeptically "An anonymous call?"  
Buffy nods "Yep. That's what it's called when someone doesn't leave a name. That's not my problem though. My guess they didn't want to piss you off."  
"Hmm."  
Buffy smiled "Now I suggest you open the garage because you are not gonna want to have to deal with the clean up if I have to find my own way in."

Regina opened the garage and Buffy headed to the place where she found the shovel, however as she walked over to it Buffy realises the shovel was completely fixed. Buffy turned to Regina "Where is it?"  
Regina pretended to be confused "Where is what Sheriff?"  
"You knew I was coming."  
"How on earth would I know that?"  
Buffy stalked up to Regina "Mary Margaret is a good person. She would't hurt a fly. She doesn't deserve this."  
"Ms. Blanchard is a liar and a murderer. No matter what accusations you throw my way, that won't change. She's going to pay for what she's done. That woman had destroyed the last life she is ever going to destroy."

* * *

Buffy pounds on August's hotel room door, completely furious.  
August opens the door and smiles when he sees Buffy "Hey."  
"How could you do this?" Buffy demanded "How could you do this to me? To Mary Margaret?"  
"Who. Slow down. Do what?" The writer asked confused at the accusation.  
"The shovel was gone when I got there. Regina knew I was coming for it."  
"You—you think that I told her?"  
Buffy nods "You were the only other person who knew about it. It's not like I was screaming it from the skies."  
"I would hope that you would have enough faith to know that I would never betray you."  
"Why should I? It wouldn't be the first time it's happened to me. How do I know you're not lying about this? About everything?"  
August shook his head "I'm not a liar."  
Buffy sighed "From my experience that is exactly what a liar would day." Buffy turned away and walked off.

* * *

Buffy watches as Mary Margaret is handcuffed "Mary Margaret." Buffy tries but the schoolteacher ignores her as the guards take her away. Buffy turns to Gold "You told me you could fix this. That's why I came to you, so you could make sure Regina didn't win."  
Gold shrugs "She hasn't yet."  
"Well, she's going to, and now my friend is gonna pay for me trusting you."  
"Look, sheriff, I know this is emotional, but it's also not over."  
Buffy looks at him in disbelief "Do you even understand that term. Does it click in your head 'cause this looks over to me."  
Gold smiled "You must have faith. There's still time."  
"Time for what?"  
"For me to work a little magic." Gold walks out of the sheriff's station and as he does Buffy walks into her office. She clenched her fist angrily and ends up tosses the large desk across the room. As she does the vase Sidney had left earlier shatters and Buffy crouches down next to it when she sees something strange. She picks up the object and realises it's a bug.

* * *

Buffy is outside Granny's when August walks out "Hey." She said "I'm sorry." August walks over to Buffy "For what?"  
"For doubting you. For being a bit Cordeliaish and a flat out bitch. I made a mistake." Buffy shows him the bag with the bug "What's that?"  
"Evidence." Buffy tells him "Evidence that proves that I've been trusting all the wrong people. I should have listened to you before I put my foot in my mouth. This bug was from Sidney."  
"The newspaper guy?"  
"I should've seen it."  
August shrugs "Well, don't beat yourself up about it, Buffy. Sometimes it's hard to see what's right in front of us, but I knew you would."  
"I'm trying." Suddenly the two hear screaming coming from the back of the diner. Buffy and August run around the back where Buffy see a terrified Ruby "Ruby! What's going on?"  
Ruby stutters as her breathing becomes panicked "She—she—she's in the alley."  
"Who, Ruby? What happened?"  
Ruby whimpers and Buffy runs around the back where she see a woman lying on the ground. Buffy runs to the woman who turns to face her. Buffy was shocked "Kathryn."


	23. The Return

**The Return**

* * *

"Buffy." Whale addresses the blonde slayer as she enters the hospital room where Kathryn is currently lying in the bed. "Come. On in. Look who's awake." Whale says gesturing to Kathryn.  
Buffy walks over to the bed "Kathryn, hi. Listen I don't wanna take up a lot of your time cause I'm guessing all you want to do right now is sleep for the next week. But do you remember what happened?"  
Kathryn shook her head "I don't know much. Um, I was in a car accident, and I remember the air bag going off. And the next thing I knew, I was in the dark, in some basement. I didn't see anyone, but there was food and water." Kathryn looks over at Whale "And then I guess I was drugged."  
Whale nodded "Yeah. We're still trying to flush that out of your system."  
"And then I woke up in a field at the edge of town, and I started walking that was it."  
Buffy looked down at the women "You saw no one? You didn't hear a voice? Or smell perfume? Cologne? Anything? What about a giant snake thing? Actually never mind that last one."  
Kathryn looks at Buffy oddly before shaking her head "Nothing. No. I'm sorry. I wish I could help. Especially since...while I was gone, you thought I was dead?"  
Buffy nodded "We matched your D.N.A to the heart we found. And it's not like you have a doppelganger running around town so..."  
Whale looks over at Kathryn "They're grilling everyone down at the hospital lab to see who doctored the D.N.A results."  
Kathryn's eyes widen "Why would anyone do this?"  
"I think someone was getting their rocks off by trying to frame Mary Margaret." Buffy told Kathryn.  
"But why?" Kathryn asked confused "I mean, who would do something like that?"

* * *

Buffy is helping Mary Margaret pour the punch at the party when the school teacher turns to her "All of these people—just to welcome me home?"  
Buffy nods "You got a lot of friends."  
"Didn't feel like that yesterday."  
Buffy chuckled "Yeah, I'm guessing their will be a lot of guilt at the moment, I say milk it as much as you can, who knows maybe will get free dinner at Granny's for a month."Mary Margaret laughs before lifting the tray with the glasses on it and walking over to the guests.

* * *

Buffy grabbed Henry ready to take him home, the two head for the door and as Buffy opens it she freezes when she sees David. "Hey. Hey Henry." David says as he smiles at the 10 year old.  
Buffy quickly turns to Mary Margaret and mouths 'David'  
Mary Margaret shakes her head 'No.' She mouths. Buffy nods and turns back to David "She's kinda tired, you know being accused of murder kinda takes it out of you."  
David looks behind Buffy and sees the party, Buffy sighs "I think if you give it some time."  
"I just wanted to—"  
Buffy cuts him off and turns to Henry "Hey, Henry, why don't you head home with David?"  
Henry smiles "Okay."  
Buffy turns back to David and smiles sadly "Sorry."  
David sighs "Okay." David gives her a sad smile as Buffy closes the door. Once she closes the door she hears Mr. Gold speaking from behind her "Hard to let him go, isn't it? Your son."  
Buffy turns to Gold and nods "Yeah. Pretty much the hardest thing. Hurts more than getting a knife to the stomach. Trust me that hurts...I really need to learn when to shut my mouth. Anyway speaking of something we weren't talking about, was it you?"  
The smirk that appeared on Gold's face as Buffy slipped up revealing something about her past turned into a confused look "Was what me?"  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Oh you know the who Kathryn suddenly materialising out of thin air. 'Cause from where I stand you fit into that role of—person who makes people suddenly appear rather perfectly. Was that the little magic trick you were working? Because I swear if you kidnapped that poor innocent woman just to let her go I swear I will-"  
Gold smiled and cut Buffy off "Are you proposing I'm working with Regina or against her?"  
Buffy shrugs and glares at Gold "I don't know maybe diagonally or horizontally or -you know what whatever."  
"Well, you keep working on that one. My question's about something else. What do you know about him?" Gold turns and gestures towards August.  
Buffy looks at August before turning back to Gold "Goes by 'August'. He's a writer. Typewriter wrapped in a enigma wrapped in stubble. Why?"  
"He was poking around my shop today. August Wayne Booth—clearly a false name. There's one thing I know about. It's names. Trust me Buffy or do you prefer Emma or even Sarah or Anne."  
Buffy glared at Gold "Ok Mr. Know-it-all, writers go by pseudonyms. What does it matter?"  
"You trust him?"  
"More than I trust you."  
Buffy then walked away and headed over to August.

* * *

Buffy sits down in the booth opposite Sidney "Hey, Sidney."  
Sidney looked at Buffy nervously "Buffy, Hey. So things certainly did work out, didn't they, for—for your friend?"  
"You know you told me you could help me with Mary Margaret, and I wanted to believe you. But eventually," Buffy reaches into her pocket and pulls out the bug "There are things even a blind sheriff, who has been bugged and spied on by three little irritating geeks before, can't ignore."  
Sidney looks down at the bug "Is that a bug?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Ok, drop it with the whole innocent play would you. You fooled me, you spied on me, I don't like being spied on. The last person that did that to me I beat to a pulp. Plus you know what makes it worse, you reported it all back to that sick, nut sack of a woman. I can't even imagine what she has on you, but I'm guessing it's bigger than Canada."  
Sidney shook his head "She's a good mayor."  
Buffy started at the man in disbelief "She tried to convict Mar Margaret of a murder that didn't even happen." Buffy chuckled "Yeah, she sounds like the greatest person alive to me." Buffy told him sarcastically. "You're in a lot of trouble. There is a D.N.A trail in a basement of some house out there and I'm gonna find it, and she's gonna go away."  
"Maybe. But I wouldn't bet against her. She's an amazing woman."  
Buffy watched him carefully before realising something "Are you in love with her?"  
When Sidney doesn't answer a disgusted look crosses Buffy's face "Yuck." Buffy shook her self trying to get any images out of her head before turning back to Sidney "Whatever, here's the thing—before you know it, I will have that evidence, and you need to think long and hard. You can either help me and help yourself, or you're going down with the crazy bitch, too."  
Buffy glares at him for a moment more before standing and leaving the diner.

* * *

 **Cleveland**

Dawn walks down the stairs and heads the the kitchen to grab some breakfast when she sees Willow "Morning."  
Willow looks up from her coffee and gives the brunette a small smile. Dawn watches the red headed witch carefully before sighing "Will, what's wrong?"  
Willow shook her head "Nothing's wrong, why would something be wrong. Everything's fine, a-o-kay."  
Dawn raises an eyebrow causing Willow to huff "Fine."  
Willow stands from her seat and walks to stand in front of Dawn "There's something I didn't tell you. About my meeting with Dragomir."  
Dawn's head shot up "What? What is it?"  
Willow sighs "Dawn something he said confused me. He said that Buffy was with her family. Her true family."  
Dawn looked at the witch slightly confused "He was most probably just talking about Henry."  
Willow shook her head "Dawnie, the way he said it...I think there's more to it."  
Dawn shook her head getting more confused by the moment "Like what?"  
Willow looked at the confused girl sadly "I don't know sweetie but I'm gonna find out okay. I've been doing some research there are two people I can talk to, messengers of the powers that be. Their called The Oracles. Apparently they were killed a couple of years ago, but if I go to the place they were killed I can summon their spirits. I promise you, I will find out."

* * *

 **Berlin, Germany**

Faith followed Dragomir towards the small villa they had pulled up in front of. Dragomir walked over to the front door and knocked on the door, a few moments later a beautiful women with crystal white hair opened the door. When she spotted Dragomir she smiled "My dear I have been expecting you. Although I honestly thought you would have found me weeks ago."  
Dragomir smiled "I'm sorry Lena, however with the Rosenberg witch tracking me I did not want to risk her finding you, therefore I travelled by car."  
Lena looked over at the car then over at Faith "And with a guest I see. And a slayer no less, you certainly do keep the most peculiar of company, love."  
Lena smiled at Faith "It is an honour to meet you Miss. Lehane."  
Faith shrugged "Yeah, awesome, look not to be a bitch but you got anything to drink? Mr. Uptight here was very specific on when we stopped and when we didn't."  
Lena chuckled "Yes, he can be rather controlling, please do come in both of you." The two followed her into the house "Would you like some water Miss. Lehane." Lena asked politely as Dragomir and Faith sat down in the living room.  
Faith looked over at the witch "It's Faith, and you got anything stronger?"  
Lena nodded then walked back into the room and handed Faith a glass of bourbon. "Is that strong enough."  
Faith tasted the drink and broke into a smile "Five by five."

After a few more sips Faith placed the glass on the table and then turned to Lena "Ok, now I just travelled half way across the country, with the one expression douchebag here and I would like some answers."  
Lena sighed and turned to Dragomir "I take it Ms. Summers is in Storybrooke."  
Dragomir nodded "That she is. It will not be long know till the curse had ended and we can return to the powers."  
"Huh?" Faith asked looking between the two confused.  
Lena turned to Faith "The powers sent us to this world when Ms. Summers arrived. They knew that Buffy would be called as the slayer, we were sent to make sure that no one not even the watcher's council nor Ms. Summers herself knew the truth. We were to make sure Buffy stayed on her path first as the slayer then as the Savior, it's why the child had to be sent away."  
"Henry?" Faith asked "Ok, I'm even more confused now. What is the truth?"

* * *

 **Storybrooke, Main**

Buffy walks into the station and spots Regina, Buffy walks towards her and stops.  
"Congratulations, Sheriff Summers. There's about to be a big break in your case. You just got yourself a confession. But I want you to listen to the whole explanation so you understand why this happened."  
Buffy looks at the mayor suspiciously "Oh, I'll be hanging on to each and every word."  
"Sidney, you can come in now."  
Buffy turns around confused and sees Sidney "Tell her what you told me." Regina tells him.  
Sidney turns to Buffy "It was me. I confess. I abducted Kathryn and I held her in the basement of an abandoned summer house by the lake. I bribed a lab tech to get me the heart from the hospital, and I used that same person to doctor the lab results."  
Regina holds back a smile "And the other thing."  
"I borrowed some skeleton keys from Regina and...planted the knife in your apartment."  
"My keys. Can't help but feel personally violated about that part."  
Buffy stares angrily at the two of them before focusing on Sidney "And your reasons behind this were what? 'Cause I'm having a difficult time with that part."  
"I was gonna find her after the conviction, be a hero, then get the inside track on the biggest story to ever hit this town. I'd get my job back. Plus a novel and a movie, and I don't know. It sounds crazy now."  
Buffy steps towards the nervous reported "You know crazy isn't the word that comes to mind. You know what does? False, false as hell."  
"I have maps to where the house is." Sidney informs her "You'll find chains in the basement, lots of fingerprints, I'm sure—hers and mine. But I didn't hurt her."  
Buffy continues to glare at Sidney as Regina walks over "The man has obviously suffered some kind of mental break. He clearly hasn't been himself for a while."  
Buffy just continued to glare "Yeah. It's like the words coming out of that mouth of his aren't actually from his own."  
"Wow. You are sold on your own rush to judgement that you can't even see the truth anymore."  
Buffy turns to Regina "A word in the hallway, please."

* * *

"Well, that's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard and trust me I've heard a ton of crap in my time." Buffy said as Regina stepped into the hallway.  
Regina just gives Buffy a confused look "I'm pretty sure that's not true."  
Buffy sighs "That poor little man. I know you are behind this. I understand that you own the game and that you can use your little minions to set the board. You cheat make sure no one else can win.  
But you know what, when I lose one game I start another and sister I am about to start playing an entirely different game." Buffy steps closer "I don't give a rat's ass what happens to you and honestly I haven't cared about what happens to me in a long time. What I do care about is what happens to my kid. And you are going to leave him alone."  
Regina smirks "Am I?"  
Buffy cuts her off "I suggest you shut your mouth. I'm talking no more gabbling from you. Your a full on crazy person, your worse than Glory. You tried to take away someone that I love, and you know what I do when someone tries to do that to me. Let me tell you I take away something they love. I'm taking back my son."


	24. The Stranger

**The Stranger:**

* * *

Buffy and Mary Margaret watch as August checks the new door lock he installed for them. "No one...is getting through that." August says as he locks the door.  
Buffy chuckled "Wow, very medieval. d]Do you have plans to build us our own torture chamber?"  
August smirks "You don't like it? I call it medieval chic."  
"I don't care what it looks like." Mary Margaret says "As long as it keeps Regina and her skeleton keys out."  
Buffy turns to August "You're pretty handy for a writer, I thought only handyman were supposed to be all handy. Where you learn to do all this, or did it just pop into your head one day."  
"Wood shop. Eighth Grade."  
Buffy smiles while Mary Margaret heads over to the kitchen "Oh, speaking of school, have to get going."  
Buffy followed the teacher "Um, you sure your ready to go back? I'm mean physically as in stepping inside said school."  
Mary Margaret just chuckles "After a stint behind bars, how tough can a room full of fourth graders be? Besides, aren't you the one we need to be worried about?" Buffy watched in confusion as the school teacher pored herself some coffee "My? Huh? Why?"  
"Well..." August says from the dining table "You did threaten to take Henry away from Regina."  
Buffy raised her hands "Hey I don't threaten...ok maybe I do, I mean I did threaten Whistler that one time, but that was a much more graphic threat. But in this case it was a promise. I'm hiring Mr. Gold to help build against her." Buffy then turned back to Mary Margaret "She tried to frame you for murder."  
Mary Margaret nods "But you do know what happens if you win?"  
"Yeah."  
"And you're ready? To be his mom?"  
Buffy smiles "Yeah." Buffy then sits down in one of the chairs "I really hope I don't run into one of my exes. Cause they whole I had a kid when I was 16 thing is really not something I wanna explain. I'd rather do Math, repeatedly...God that's a horrifying thought."  
Suddenly Henry's voice come in from over the walkie talkie "Code red. Code red." Buffy picks up the walkie "Hey, Henry. What's going on?"  
"Meet me at Granny's. It's an Operation Cobra emergency."  
"I'm on my way." Buffy grabs her jacket and then heads for the door.

* * *

As Buffy walks towards Granny's August runs over to her "Buffy, wait up."  
Buffy looks over at August but continues to walk "You heard the kid. Operation Cobra summons me."  
"I didn't think you believed any of that."  
"Nope. Nada. I do not. But sometimes it's the only path I can find to get through to Henry."  
"You know, a custody battle against Regina isn't going to accomplish anything." Buffy chuckles as August goes on "You need to look at the big picture. That's the only way you're gonna understand what you're up against. That's the only way. You'll know how to beat Regina."  
Buffy looked over at him skeptically "Okay, new guy, how's that?"  
"Take the day off. Come with me, and I'll show you."  
"And where exactly would we be going on this magical mystery tour?" Buffy stops walking and turns to face August.  
"If I told you, you would never come." August tells her.  
Buffy smiles before starting to walk off "Oh, come on." August calls "Take a leap of faith. You come with me, and I promise you, you'll find exactly what you're looking for."  
Buffy turns so she is facing August while walking backwards "No can do. My kid needs me. I don't have time for a leap of faith. Plus trust me I done the whole leaping for faith thing before, not a fan."

* * *

Buffy walks over to Henry who is sat at their usual booth in the diner "Hey, what's the emergency?"  
Henry quickly turns to Buffy "Shh! This is senitive." He whispers.  
Buffy sits down next to him and whispers "Are you sure? Then why are we meeting at Granny's out in the open?"  
"I'm hungry." Henry explains in a normal voice "Who else knows that we hide the book at the sheriff's station?"  
Buffy thinks for a moment "No one. Why?"  
"Someone changed it. There's a new story in it."  
Buffy looked at the book confused "Why would someone add a new story? Did they get bored and decided that pulling apart a book would make thier day?"  
"To tell us something we need to know about the curse."  
Buffy nods "And that would be...?"  
Henry shrugs "I don't know. The story isn't finished."  
Buffy smiled "Ok so let me get this straight someone wrote new story then decided 'Nope, this doesn't need an ending, all done.'?"  
"That's what's weird. The story's about Pinocchio. Everyone knows how that ends."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, maybe that's why it's left out."  
Henry turns the page to the last of the Pinocchio story "Or maybe there's more to it."  
Buffy sighs "Henry, you know you gonna be late for that little thing known as school. Let's go." Buffy climbs out of the booth and then walks Henry to school.

* * *

"I have to save him." Buffy says to Gold as she stands in the pawn show "I have to get Henry away from Regina."  
"I must admit, you intentions are admirable." Gold says "However, I won't be taking your case."  
Buffy stared at the man shocked "I'm going to respond to that with an extreme, huh? You know what Regina did." Buffy points out as she follows Gold down the counter.  
Gold looks over at Buffy "Yes, but we can't prove it. And given the Mayor's sway in this town, and proceedings against her would be long and drawn out and futile. The only certainty is Henry would suffer. You can't do that to your boy."  
"So what? We leave him locked up in that cage of a house with that crazy ass sociopath of a woman?"  
"I'm sorry, Sheriff. My mind's made up."  
Buffy glares at the man angrily "Well I suggest you change it before I start getting testy. The only person I've ever seen go head-to-head with Regina and win is you."

As Gold walks over to the cash register he looks up at Buffy "That's because I know how to pick my battles."  
"Well, then I don't know pick this one."  
Gold gives her a small smile "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I'm just simply not the man to help you beat Mayor Mills."  
"No. You're not."  
Buffy turns away and heads for the door as she exits she mumbles to herself "Whatever happened to the simple I just wanna be a big snake kind of Mayor. So much easier to deal with."

* * *

Buffy pounds on August's door waiting for him to answer. August pops his head out of the door "Buffy."  
"Hey." Buffy says as she pushes the door open and enters the room.  
"Take it easy." August says as he closes the door "Is everything okay?"  
Buffy shakes her head "A world of no. I just about ran out of options which is unfortanetly is not a first for me. I don't like not having options."  
"Just about?"  
Buffy nods "You said bla bla bla to beat Regina, I need to see the big picture. Well I am asking you to show it to me." "Be warned this offer only last until I can come up with more options." Buffy jokes.

* * *

Buffy climbs off the back of the bike and looks around "Ok, you brought me to—a diner in the middle of nowhere. What are we doing here? You didn't bring me all the way out here just for a drink did you? 'Cause trust me a drink is not gonna help me see the big picture. Tried that before, it just left me with a very bad hangover."  
August climbs off the bike and turns to Buffy "We are here for one specific reason." August pulls out a piece of paper and holds it open revealing a newpaper article. "You've been here before."  
Buffy looks at the article about a baby found by an 8 year old boy before looking back up at August, completely confused "What are you talking about?"  
"This is the diner you were brought to when you were found as a baby."  
Buffy just shook her head "What? You think I'm the baby in that article, that's impossible. Look, I was born in a hospital in California. That baby, is-not-me. Anyway I thought this trip was supposed to be about you."  
August nods "It is. This is my story, and it's your story."  
"Still not getting it here. How the hell is that?"  
"That 8-year-old boy who found you...that was me."  
Buffy sighs in irritation "You found a baby, ok. But said baby was not me. So tell me, what the hell is really going on?"

* * *

 **26 Years Ago**

A pulse of magic is released in the middle of the forest and suddenly a hole appears in the middle of a tree. Inside the tree sits a young Pinocchio. He climbs out of the tree and looks around terrified, he looks up at the sky and sees an airplane, Pinocchio begins to panic, he tries to climb back inside the tree but he thrown backwards.  
He lands on the ground and begins to have flashes of his father and Jiminy.

 _"_ _You must look out for this child in this new land. Promise me you'll do that." His father asks of him "That is the only way we'll—we'll see each other again."  
_ _"_ _I promise." Pinocchio answers before climbing into the wardrobe. A tear rolls down the young boys face as his father closes the door._

Pinocchio slowly wakes and pulls himself back up. As he stands another gust of magic comes through the forest. Pinocchio looks around scared but suddenly he hears a baby crying. He turns back to the tree where baby Buffy now lay wrapped in her blanket. Pinocchio walks over to the child and carefully lifts her up. As she continues to cry the boy tries to calm her "Shh. Shh."

* * *

 **Present Day**

"Why are we in the woods?" Buffy asks as she follows August through the forest "Not like I don't like the woods, spent a lot of time in places like this, but I'm still a bit confused over here."  
August continued to walk as he explained "Any questions you have will be explained. They are right where I found you."  
Buffy sighs "Again with the whole Buffy is the baby theory. That's getting old. Plus the article said that the baby was found on the side of a highway so clearly your delusional cause this—" Buffy gestures to the forest around them "Is not a highway."  
August nods "And you believe that because of the article I just showed you right? Well did it occur to you that maybe that 8-year-old boy lied about where he found you?"  
Buffy shook her head "Nope. But then again you told me all this a mere 10 minutes ago. But you know what does occur to me is that you've been lying to me about everything. Trying to fit me into some freaky delusion of yours. So—I'm done listening." Buffy turns to leave.  
Buffy freezes when August calls out "Come on, Slayer."

Buffy spins around and glares at him "What the hell did you just call me?"  
August smiles ignoring the question and continues with his story "When I found you, you were wrapped in a blanket, and the name 'Buffy' was embroidered along the bottom of it. That wasn't in the article, was it? How would I know that unless I was there?"  
Buffy slowly walks closer towards him "First of all, I am gonna say it again. I'm-not-the-baby. And secondly why the hell did you call me slayer?"  
August smirks "Because you are The Slayer. How does it go "Into every generation a slayer is born: one girl in all the world, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill to fight the vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their number. She is the Slayer." You were called when you were 15 right?" Buffy's jaw drops in shock, before August can continue Buffy runs over and slams him against the tree "Who are you! Who sent you! How do you know who I am?!"  
August looks up at Buffy "Buffy I can explain everything but you need to let me finish. Everything will be clear once I do."  
Buffy reluctantly let go of August and backed away "Fine. Continue with your crazy thoughts then."  
August coughed slightly due to the pain of Buffy shoving him against the wall "Damn your strong."  
Buffy glared at him "You have no idea." Buffy said with a threatening tone.  
August obviously got the message and continued the story, "That baby was you. I lied to protect you."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Ok, let's say hypothetically that said baby was a mini Buffy. What were you protecting me from?"  
"That." August says pointing to the large tree he was currently stood in front of.  
Buffy looked at the man in disbelief "A tree?"  
"You've read Henry's book, right? You know about the curse, don't you? Your role in it? It's true, Buffy."  
Buffy scoffed "Well technically all I know is that I'm the savior, for some reason that Henry refuses to tell me. But please go on with your magical tale." Buffy adds sarcastically.  
"We both came into this world...through this tree."  
Buffy walks back over to August and looks at the tree "I'm pretty sure I came to this world the old natural way. Which is something I'd rather not think about, because honestly the thought of my mother an—" Buffy makes a disgusted look "It's just disturbing."

Buffy sighs and looks back at August who was still watching the tree "Ok, so you're asking me to believe that you are a fairytale character?"  
August smiled "Pinocchio."  
Buffy chuckles "What a coincidence he lied so much as well." Buffy than realises something "You're the one who added the story to Henry's book."  
August nodded "I needed you to know the truth."  
"The truth is that you are a complete nut ball. And you're not even a very good liar. Hell Willow can probably lie better than you. Why not write the end of that story?"  
"Because this is the ending, and we're writing it right now."  
"And how does this story end?"  
"With you believing again. In the curse, in magic."  
Buffy shook her head "Not a chance in hell."  
"Buffy that's not all. There is a reason you are meant to break the curse. You are not from this world. Your mother-."  
Buffy glares angrily at August before punching him in the face "Shut the hell up." Buffy shook her head "Don't you say anything about my mother or I swear! Go find someone else to torment!"  
Buffy starts to walk away again when August calls out to her agin "You've believed in magic before you still do, why don't you believe in this? Your the slayer, your supposed to believe in the supernatural."  
Buffy huffed in annoyance "First of all, I'm a slayer, there's plenty more now, active ones. Go bug one of them. And second of all magic and supernatural yes. Fairytale characters being real and in this world, a world of no."

Buffy speed up her walking as August chases after her "Buffy? Buffy, wait." Suddenly August falls to the ground grunting in pain. Buffy turns to him annoyed "What...is wrong...with your leg?"  
August grunts in agony again before answering "I failed."  
Buffy looks at the man confused "Were you born this big a pain in the ass? Can you stop with the vague answers?"  
August shakes his head "it doesn't matter. You don't believe."  
"Way to point out the obvious." Buffy comments "Let me give you a piece of advice making me feel sorry for you is not gonna change things."  
August stands up and stares at Buffy desperately "I am not screwing around here. Whatever you believe or don't, this is real, Buffy. I am sick."  
Buffy tilts her head "That's a major understatement."  
"You ever been to Phuket? It's beautiful. Amazing island. Full of pleasures. The perfect place to lose oneself. That's where I was when you decided to stay in Storybrooke."  
Buffy eyes widened "How did you that when I decided to stay?"  
"Because at 8:15 in the morning, I woke up with a shooting pain in my leg. That's 8:15 at night in Storybrooke. Sound familiar? That's when time there started to move forward again. I was supposed to be there for you, and I wasn't. Because I was halfway around the world, I got a painful reminder of just how far I'd strayed. If that tree won't make you believe, maybe this will."

August sat down on the log next to him and lifted up the leg of his trousers revealing his wooden leg. Buffy stared at what to her seemed like a normal leg "Are you on meds? How is that supposed to prove anything?"  
"Look." He tells her.  
Buffy roll her eyes "August I'm pretty sure I know how to look and that's what I've been doing."  
"You don't see do you?"  
"See what?" Buffy asked confused.  
"You denial is more powerful than I thought. It's preventing you from seeing the truth."  
"Ok, one of us is losing it here. I'll give you a hint it's not me."  
"You don't want to believe. After everything you've seen, why can't you just do it? What happened since you were called that made you this way?"  
Buffy glares at him angrily "Why is it so important to you that I do?"  
"Because I, the town—Everyone needs you."  
"I don't want them to need me. I have had that my entire life, where I have had to sacrifice everything. I don't want that, I never did.  
"Well, that's too bad, because we all do."  
"You're saying that I am responsible for everyone's happiness? That is crap! I didn't ask for that! Not Now or when I was 15! I have watched people I love die, I have watched people close to me lose so much. I have lost so much. I have killed the man I loved to safe the world! I have died! I have been shot and stabbed and beaten till I can't stand! All because of something that I didn't ask for! And I sure as hell didn't ask for this, and I don't want it!"  
"Right now. A little while ago, you didn't want Henry either, but then he came to you, and now you are fighting like hell for him."  
"You have no idea what happened back then!" Buffy cried "But now, Henry, it's all I can handle right now. And I'm doing a sucky job at that! Now you're telling me I have to save everyone? That I have to go back to being Sunnydale Buffy! That is beyond ridiculous. I don't want any of it. I didn't have a choice back then! But I do now. And I don't want this."  
August looked up at Buffy's sad expression "Well, that's too bad, Buffy, because that doesn't change the truth. You are our only hope."  
"Then you're all screwed." Buffy looks at the man sadly before running off.

* * *

 **26 Years Ago:**

Whistler stood in the corner of the orphanage, the moment that young Pinocchio left with the other children the demon made his move. He slowly walked over to the crib. He stared at the baby girl currently sucking on her thumb, he read the name off her blanket and sighed "Buffy? Really? Wow, you really are from another world aren't you kid." He slowly bent down and lifted the child into his arms. "Come on, kid. We can't have you growing up here. You have a few things to do in sunny California first."

Whistler used to powder one of the oracle's gave him and suddenly he and the baby girl were in California outside the Summers residence. Whistler looked down at the small child in his arms "Now kid, these people are good, they are gonna take care of you. The powers choose them to take care of you and make sure you would be raised by good people. So don't you worry, kid. You're going to be just fine." Whistler knocked on the door, when both Joyce and Hank appeared Whistler blew the other powder the Oracle's had given him, which would help him in this situation. "This is your daughter, Buffy. You love her very much. She will be taken care of and you will love her and raise her. She is your daughter." Whistler said to the two adults, he repeated the phrase twice more before carefully placing the child in Joyce's arms "Be seeing you, Kid." He said before disappearing into the shadows, while Hank and Joyce took their new daughter inside the house.

* * *

 **Present day:**

"Code Red, code red, Henry?" Buffy says into the Walkie Talkie as she sits in her car.  
"Buffy, what's wrong?" A tired Henry asks.  
"I need to talk to you."  
"About Operation Cobra?" The boy asks optimistically.  
"No. About us. Meet me downstairs."

Buffy waits for a few minutes for Henry. When Henry appears he climbs into the front seat and turns to Buffy "If my mom sees me out here talking to you, she'll get really mad."  
Buffy hesitates for a moment before turning to Henry "Henry, I have to ask you something. And it's very important. Do you wanna escape Regina? Do you wanna come and live with me?"  
Henry smiles "More than anything."  
Buffy nods "Okay. Then I suggest you buckle up."  
Henry looks at her confused "Okay. Why? Where are we going?"  
"We're leaving Storybrooke." Buffy tells him before putting the car into drive.


	25. An Apple As Red As Blood

**An Apple As Red As Blood:**

* * *

Henry looked in the backseat of Buffy's car to see a few bags and a large brown bag which had something red and shiny poking out of it. "Is that all your stuff?" Henry asked the blonde.  
"It's all I need." Buffy answered.  
Henry looked at her shocked "What. You wanna go now? We're leaving now?"  
"Yes. I'm getting you out of this place, away from all this, away from her. This place may not be as violent as Sunnydale but that woman makes me miss people like Adam and Mayor Wilkins. Hell even Glory. Those were all bad bad people Henry."  
Henry started to shake his head in a panic "No. No. Stop the car. You can't leave Storybrooke. You have to break the curse."  
"I don't have to do anything except help you."  
"But you're a hero. You can't run. You have to help everybody."  
Buffy sighed "Henry my whole life all I have done is worry about everyone else. But now I need to take care of you. I know that it's hard for you to see it, but trust me this is what's best for you. That's what you wanted when you brought me to Storybrooke."  
Henry just shook his head again "But The Curse—You're the only chance to bring back the happy endings."  
"Henry." Just as they were about to cross the town line Henry grabbed a hold of the steerwheel, Buffy was stunned and the two spun off the road "Henry!" Buffy yelled as the car spun.  
When the car stops Buffy turns to Henry "Henry. What were you thinking?! You could've gotten us killed!"  
"Please!" Henry screamed "Please don't make me go! We can't go! Everything's here—me, your par—your friends. Please, Buffy. They need you." Henry managed to avoid the parents subject realising that he really should tell Buffy the truth soon. "These people need you."

* * *

Buffy walks back into the apartment; she drops her bags on the ground, except the one containing the Scythe which she had put into the trunk of her car. As Buffy enters Mary Margaret who is in the kitchen baking looks over at the slayer "Oh. Thought you'd left." She says before turning back to the food.  
Buffy closes the door then turns to the school teacher "Mary Margaret—"  
"But I couldn't tell for sure because you didn't bother to say good-bye." Mary Margaret stops stirring food in the bowl and looks over at Buffy "Do you remember when I left? When I ran? What you said to me? You said, we have to stick together, that we're like...family."  
Buffy looks down "Technically I phrased it differently, but I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken off."  
Mary Margaret stares at the blond an angrily "You're right. You shouldn't have. So why, after everything, did you just go?"  
"I don't want to be Sheriff. I don't want to be a leader, I have done it before and it almost destroyed me. I can't have people relying on me anymore. I don't want any of this."  
"What about Henry?" Mary Margaret asks.  
"I took him with me."  
Mary Margaret stared at Buffy stunned. She paces for a moment before folding her arms and turning to Buffy, "You abducted him?"  
Buffy shrugs "No. Ok Sort of. Maybe, uh I don't know what to call it."  
"So you don't want people to rely on you, but you took your son? Now that sounds like a stable home for him. What the hell is wrong with you?"  
"I want what's best for him."  
"And running is what's best for him? Or is that what's best for you? You're reverting, Buffy, into the person you were before you got here, and I thought you'd changed."  
"I guess you thought wrong. Go figure."  
"Well, regardless, you have to do what's right for Henry now."  
Buffy looks up "What's that?"  
"Oh, I don't know. You're his mother. That's your job. So figure it out."

* * *

 **Berlin, Germany**

Faith stares at the witch completely stunned "So your telling me that Buffy, is actually the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. That the curse her kid has been badgering on about is real?" Faith stared at the two before bursting out in laughter, she laughed so hard that she actually had trouble breathing "You're kidding me right. Princess Buffy?" Faith laughed again before trying to calm herself.  
Once she was calm Faith turned back to Lena and Dragomir "Look, I love B and all, but that girl is no princess."  
Dragomir sighed "It is true, Faith. The Powers hid it from her, as they felt it would distract her from her duties as the slayer. They decided that she needed to be focused soley on that, until the time came for her to break the curse."  
"Okay." Faith said still skeptical "So Fairytale's are real? What about red ridding hood?"  
Lena smiled "That is also true however in reality it is Red who is the wolf."  
Faith nodded "Just when I thought this couldn't get any weirder. So why tell me all of this?"  
Lena looked at Dragomir who nodded, Lena turned to Faith "The Powers have done so much to make sure Buffy would end up in Storybrooke in time, Buffy giving up her son, Dragomir helping you and Angel with Buffy's escape was all apart of that. We have told you all of this as Willow and Xander can not be allowed to take Buffy away from Storybrooke. She is no longer just The Slayer, she is the Savior. And those people need her, more than you and your slayers do. Buffy has a destiny one that does not involve her friends. Buffy will feel guilt if they ask for her help, she will drop everything and run too them. That cannot be allowed to happen.  
Faith tilts her head "That sounds like B. So what am I supposed to do?"  
Dragomir turned to her "You must return to headquarters and do your job. While keeping Willow and the others away from Buffy."  
"What about Dawn?"  
Lena sighs "Dawn is a more complicated story, The Power's did not anticipate her being here. Not even the monks knew the truth. The powers, They were forced to use large amounts of power to make sure the illusion of Buffy as Joyce and Hank's daughter remained intact."  
Dragomir continued "Dawn will understand, once Buffy learns the truth, Dawn will understand and will not stray her."  
Faith nodded "Okay. I'll help. Not you or the stupid powers that whatever. I'll help B. But first I wanna know one more thing, this is for both me and Buffy."  
Dragomir and Lena nodded "What is it?" They asked.  
"What happened to Angel after L.A went to hell?"

* * *

 **Storybrooke, Maine**

"I'm sorry Buffy. But I'm afraid you don't have any case for custody." Archie tells the slayer as they sit at a table in Granny's.  
Buffy shook her head "Even after all the crazy mambo jumbo she's done?"  
"Which you can't prove." Archie argues "Let me just ask you a question. With this war raging on, who really is getting hurt here?"  
"Look I know. Chaos bad. And it's hurting Henry. But come on, isn't spending time with me on the brighter side of things, isn't it good for him. I'm his mother."  
"Yes. You are, and so is Regina. And l-look, the court is gonna come in and look at him and see how he's been since you've come into his life."  
Buffy nods "And he's been all cheery and kites in the sky grinning. He's been happier, right?"  
"Maybe. I mean, objectively?" Archie scoffs "He's skipped school, he's stolen a credit card, he's run off, he's—he's endangered himself, repeatedly. And so in the eyes of the law, it's not so—"  
Buffy rubs her forehead before looking back up at Archie "What about through your own Archie eyes? What do you think?  
Archie sighs "I mean, a while ago, I told you to engage him in his fantasy life, and—and perhaps I was wrong, because he's only retreated further into it."  
Buffy's eyes widened "You think he's better off with her?"  
Archie shook his head "I never said that."  
Buffy leans forward slightly "Do you think that she would ever hurt him? Like hurt him, hurt him? Like bad times infinity hurt him?"  
"No. Never. I mean, everyone else, but not him. Look, right or wrong, her actions have all been defensive. I'm not judging, but...in many ways, your arrival has woke a sleeping dragon."  
Buffy nods "Okay, I need you to be honest with me, no tricks with half truths to make me feel better. Has he been better off since I got here?"  
"Oh, it's not a matter of better off. It's—it's a matter of this war has to end. If you two are gonna be in his life. You have to figure out the best way to do that."

* * *

Buffy stands outside the Mayor's house. As she stares at the door she thinks of her decision, after her talk with Archie she realised that Henry's best chance wasn't with her. She was still attacked by vamps and demons on a regular basis. And she couldn't risk Henry's life. A normal life was what was best for him. Buffy walked up the steps and hesitates for a split second before ringing the doorbell.  
"We need to talk." Buffy says as Regina answers the door.  
Regina stares at her stunned "Yes, I imagine we do. I was just about to call you, too. Come right in." Buffy walks pasts past Regina and into the hall. Regina follows her "Do what your so skilled at and make yourself at home."  
Buffy looks around making sure Henry wasn't around before turning to Regina "I believe you came to see me." Regina said clearly getting impatient.  
Buffy nods "Oh, yeah. Look this isn't easy. I think that this...whatever is between us needs to end."  
"At last, something we can agree on."  
Buffy nods "Look you back off, I'll back off and we won't get all wiggy about this. But first I wanna make a deal with you about Henry."  
Regina smiled "First of all I barely understand a word you just said and I am not making any deals with you."  
"I'm leaving town."  
Regina stared grinning shocked "What?"  
"You know, I'm gonna book, take off. What we're doing is a problem. I'm gonna go, but I have conditions. I still get to see Henry. I get to visit and spend time, whatever."  
The smile fell from Regina's face "And you get to see him. You're still in his life."  
Buffy looks away for a second to get her emotions under control before continuing "Okay reality check, in any deal both parties well they're still a little unhappy. Honestly I don't think there is a world in which I'm not in his life anymore. Hell I bet even in alternative realties alternative Buffy is saying the exact same thing. There is no one that can do anything about that."  
After a moment of hesitation Regina smiles "You're right. Would you mind following me for a moment?" Regina asks before heading into the kitchen.

Buffy watches as Regina pulls the pastry out of the oven, "So what are you proposing?" Regina asks as she places the backing tray on the counter.  
Buffy shrugs "Not sure. I though we could just wing it."  
Regina turns to Buffy "But he's my son."  
Buffy hesitates but knows she has to do this "Yeah." She says forcing the word out of her mouth.  
Buffy turns away and heads for the door when Regina stops her "Oh, Ms. Summers." Buffy turns back to the mayor as she grabs a box and places the pastry inside "Maybe a little something for the road?"  
Buffy smiles "Thanks."  
Regina nods "If we're going to be in each other's lives. It's time we start being cordial. Or as you would put it not getting all 'wiggy'. What does that mean?"  
Buffy shrugs "You know, no kikko no fighto."  
Regina chuckles slightly as she closes the box "My famous turnovers. Old recipe. But delicious." She hands Buffy the box. Buffy looks at it skeptically for a moment before taking it "Thank you."  
Regina smiles "I do hope you like apples."  
Buffy gives her a grateful smile before leaving.

* * *

Buffy walks down the stairs from her room and walks into the living room placing the rest of her things by her bags. As she does there is a knock at the door. Buffy quickly opens the door only to see Henry "Hey, Buffy. Everything okay? You sounded strange over the walkie."  
Buffy lets Henry inside then closes the door. "Oh, um...no, I'm ok. Like the definition of okayness." Buffy moves to stand in front of the boy "Just, um..." Buffy sighs dreading this moment "Yesterday when I tried to pull a whole get up and run situation with you, you were right. I can't take you out of Storybrooke. But here's the thing and it's not a big thing just a little thing...I-I can't stay either."  
Henry's eyes widened "What?"  
Buffy looked down at him sadly "I have to go."  
"Go? You mean leave Storybrooke?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah. Look I spoke to Regina we agreed to not get all wiggy about this, we made a deal, I can still see you, just not...every day."  
Henry looked up at Buffy miserably "No! No, you can't trust her."  
"Kid I got to. It's my only choice. It's what best for you, Henry. The life I lead can be dangerous, this is the best way to keep you safe."  
"No, no, no! You're just scared. This happens to all heroes. It's just the low moment before you fight back."  
Buffy crouches down in front of Henry and looks at him tearfully "Henry! this isn't a story. This is the real world. And in the real world heroes don't always get back up, they suffer till it breaks them emotionally and physically. Henry, things have gotta change. You can't act like me and skip school, you can't run away and...you can't believe in curses that bring Fairytale character's to life."  
Henry looks at her sadly "Y-you really don't believe?"  
"I...I can't." Buffy feels tears start to fall down her face as she goes on "This is how it's gotta be. For now. Look I used one of my powers, she's not lying." Buffy's voice begins to break "She's gonna take really good care of you. You'll be safe which is something you might not be with me around."  
Henry shook his head "But she wants you dead."  
"Come on, Henry!" 'She's not a demon.' Buffy added silently.  
"You're the only one that can stop her."  
Buffy stands "Stop her from what? From what I've seen all she's ever done, is fight for you. It just...got out of control, like it always does when I'm involved. I'm sorry."  
Henry shook his head before throwing his arms around Buffy hugging her tightly. Buffy gasps slightly shocked but quickly hugs him back.

A minute later Henry pulls away "Where did you get that?" He asks walking towards the Apple turnover on the counter.  
Buffy shrugs "Regina gave it to me. Kind of weird I know but I've been given weirder by people who hate me a hell of a lot more. Hell Willow got a bunch of dead fis—never mind." Buffy quickly cuts her self off knowing now is really not the time.  
Henry smells the turnover "Apple." He says to Buffy.  
Buffy looks at him confused "So? I mean it's not the best fruit in the world but-"  
Henry shook his head "You can't eat that. It's poison."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Really?"  
"Don't you see it? The deal—it was all a trick to get you to eat that, to get rid of the savior."  
"Henry, why would she do that, it's not like she's losing her hearing in her old age, I told her I was leaving, she has no reason to try and cut me down."  
"Because as long as you're alive, you're a threat to the curse."  
Buffy sighs "Henry, chill. you have gotta stop with these thoughts."  
"But it's the truth!" Henry yells "And you leaving isn't gonna change that."  
"Fine let's see whose right then." Buffy grabs the turnover preparing to bite into it, as she does Henry yells again "No!" He snatches the turnover away and backs away from Buffy."  
Buffy looks at him confused "Henry, what are you doing?"  
"I'm sorry it had to come to this you may not believe in the curse...or in me." Buffy tilts her head and looks at him sadly "But I believe in you." Henry says before biting into the turnover.  
When nothing happens Buffy gives him a small smile "See kid, no point with the believing in me stuff. So you want some ice cream with that?" Suddenly Henry falls to the ground "Henry? Henry? Henry!"


	26. A Land Without Magic

**A Land Without Magic**

* * *

Buffy helps the medics roll Henry into the ICU, as they move Buffy shakes Henry's shoulder "Henry, can you hear me? Come on, Henry. Wake up, please. Just wake up, Henry. Come on." As they stop inside the ICU one of the nurses tries to pull Buffy away but she shakes the woman off her "No! I'm not going anywhere! Not a chance in hell!"  
"There's no pupil response." Whale says as he shines a light in Henry's eyes "What happened? Did he fall, hit his head?" He asks the panicked Buffy.  
Buffy shows him the turnover "He ate this. It may be poisoned."  
Whale opens Henry's mouth "His airway's clear. Did he vomit? Any convulsion or disorientation?"  
"He took a bite of this god knows what and then collapsed. So I suggest you run the test for whatever it is that would do this to him!"  
"The boy is showing no systems that would suggest neurotoxins, so whatever's going on," Whale takes the turnover "This is not the culprit!"  
"Then what else is there, it's not life he pissed off a freaking bed time monster!"  
Whale shakes his head clearly worried "I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out."  
"He's gonna be okay, though, right?"  
"Right now we just need to stabilise him, 'cause he's slipping away. Is there anything else that you can remember, any little detail?"  
Buffy glares at him angrily "NO, I'm pretty sure I would have said the first hundred times! So do something! Or else someone is going to end up in worst condition then him!"  
Whale stares at her slightly scared but keeps his composure "Look, I understand you're frustrated, Ms. Summers."  
Buffy shakes her head "Frustrated is the last thing I am. Angry, pissed, worried however all fit into my current state of mind!" Buffy yells as she grabs Henry's bag and starts going through it.  
"I need something to treat, and right now there is no explanation. It's like..."  
Buffy looks down at the contents of Henry's bag now splayed over the bed, she stares at the storybook "Like Magic." As she picks up the book Buffy starts to see flashes of Mary Margaret and David in the forest, a number of different flashes appear in front of Buffy's eyes but they go too quickly for Buffy to understand what the people are saying.  
Buffy places the book back down "You have got to be kidding me." Buffy mumbles as she realizes the truth. The curse is real. Suddenly Buffy hears Regina enter the room "Where's my son?" The woman begs.  
"You did this." Buffy says before grabbing Regina and dragging her out of the room.

Buffy throws Regina into a supply closet, the mayor crashes into the shelves and falls to the ground "You did this!" Buffy yells as she pulls Regina to her feet.  
"What the hell are you doing?!" Regina screams as Buffy shoves her against the other wall. Regina tries to escape but Buffy is too strong. Buffy wraps a hand around Regina's neck and raises the woman off the ground. As Regina struggles to breathe while being completely shocked by the strength the blonde possessed Buffy yelled at her "He is sick because of you!" Buffy punches the wall next to Regina's face leaving a massive whole "That Apple turnover you gave me—he ate it!"  
"What?" Regina coughs out as she tries to escape Buffy's grasp.  
"I suggest you fix this because if I hit you, your gonna end up like this wall." Buffy gestures to the wall next to Regina's face "And don't try and pretend you don't know it's all true, or I will beat you to death."  
Regina stares at the blonde terrified "It was meant for you!"  
Buffy slightly loosens her grasp so Regina can speak but is still off the ground "I was gonna leave what the hell is wrong with you?! Why couldn't you just leave it alone!"  
"Because—because as long as your alive Henry will never be mine!"  
Buffy tightens her grip again causing Regina to grunt in pain "Fix it! Or he's not gonna be anyones! Wake him up!"  
"I can't!"  
Buffy stares at her angrily "Magic? A spell? Hell a simple reversal spell, those tend to work. So just do that!"  
"I can't that was the last bit of magic I had. It was supposed to put you to sleep."  
Buffy released Regina who feel to the ground coughing as she tried to catch her breath "What's gonna happen to him?" Buffy demanded.  
"I don't know. Magic here is unpredictable."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Yeah, it is, it's not like your world from my guess. Magic here comes from darker root."  
Regina looked at her confused "How-?"  
"Shut up!" Buffy growls. Buffy's breathing starts to become panicked "So he could-?"  
Regina nods "Yes."  
"What next?"  
Regina stands slowly "We need help. There's one other person in this town who knows about this...knows about magic."  
"Mr. Gold. You have got to be kidding me."  
"Actually, he goes by Rumplestiltshin."

* * *

As Regina and Buffy headed to Gold's shop Buffy quickly stopped by her car. "What are you doing?" Regina asked.  
Buffy quickly opened the trunk and pulled out the scythe. Regina stares at it stunned. Buffy strokes the blade "This atta make him more agreeable." Buffy says as they walk towards the store. Buffy kicked down the door of the shop causing it to fly to the opposite end of the room. Gold smirked "It seems someone's no longer holding back her strength." Buffy took a knife out of her pocket and threw it at the wall besides Gold's head. Regina starred in shock while Gold smiled "You should know" Buffy said to Gold "I never miss. So I suggest you get real happy with the idea of helping us, otherwise I'm gonna do what I did to The First's bitch Caleb and make you into a banana slip." Buffy raised the Scythe and Gold watched it mesmerised  
"How did you get a hold of that, Slayer?"  
Buffy glared at him "I king Arthured it out of the freaking stone, that's not why we're here."  
Gold nodded "Ahh yes. Although it is funny you mention Arthur, though you'll get that in time." Gold looked Buffy in the eyes "Is that a look of a believer? You know for someone who already knew about magic I honestly thought you would have figured it out sooner."  
Buffy threw the scythe into the opposite wall knocking down the clock "Enough with the chit chat and riddle crap. You know why were here, So get on with it."  
Gold sighed but smiled "You know Ms. Summers if you continue to break these trinkets the price is going to be rather large."  
"Then she can pay it." Buffy points at Regina "Now help us, before I start getting testy." Buffy quickly pulls the Scythe out of the wall and walks back over to Gold.  
"It seems quite the tragic ailment has befallen our young friend. I told you magic comes with a price." Gold says to Regina.  
"Henry should't have to pay it."  
"No, you should, but alas, we are where we are. Ask Ms. Summers here, if any one knows about the consequences of magic it's her. You've seen it haven't you?"  
Buffy nods "The best and the worst of it. But I don't care about talking about the past right now. I care about now. Can you help us?""Of course. True love, Ms. Summers—the only magic powerful enough to transcend realms and break any curse. Luckily for you, I have to have bottled some."  
"You did?" Regina asks.  
"Oh, yes. From strands of hair from people very close to Miss Summers here. I made the most powerful potion in all the realm, so powerful that when I created the dark curse, I placed a single drop of parchment. Just a little safety valve. That Ms. Summers is why you can break the curse. You are the product of true love."  
"What?" Buffy asked confused.  
Gold smiled "I'd rather not spill the secret, I feel as though it should be your boy that does that. He will explain, after you save him of course. And break the curse."  
"Look, Darth Vader all I care about is saving Henry, I don't give a rat's ass about the curse."  
Gold smirked at the slayer "Which is why it's your lucky day. I didn't use all the potion. I saved some for a rainy day."  
"Well, it's storming like a bitch. Where is it?"  
"Where it is isn't the problem. Getting it is what should worry you."  
"Enough riddles." Regina said "What do we do?"  
Gold turns to Regina "You do nothing. It has to be Ms. Summers."  
"He's my son. It should be me."  
"All due respect, but it's her son, and it has to be her. She's the product of the magic. She must be the one to find it. Plus she is The Slayer she will be able to handle it."  
"I can do it." Buffy said with determination in her voice.  
"Don't trust him." Regina tells her.  
"Look I can handle whatever he throws at me, I have lived through 8 apocalypses, I've lived through the ascension and I beat a hell god. Whatever he throws at me, I can take. Plus I tend not to stay dead for too long anyway, so If I die i'll just pop right back up. Plus what choice do we have?"  
Gold smiled "That's right, Dearie. What choice do you have?" Gold said to Regina  
"Where is the magic?" Buffy asked.  
Gold continued to speak directly to Regina "Tell me, your majesty, is our friend still in the basement?"  
Regina's eyes widened "Oh, you twisted little imp. You hid it with her?"  
"Oh, no, not with her. In her. I knew you couldn't resist bringing her over?"  
"Who is her?" Buffy asked.  
"Someone you should be prepared for. And I'm afraid that red axe of yours in not built to kill a creature like this. Your is built for monsters from this world. Where you're going, you're going to need this."  
Gold opened the large wooden chest on the counter revealing a sword, Buffy raised an eyebrow "I have my own."  
Gold smirked "Trust me dearie you're going to want to use this one. It's...more precious."

* * *

Buffy stroked Henry's check and moved the hair out of his face "Henry." Buffy whispered "You were right about the curse. I believed in magic, I should have known that you were telling me the truth. I should have believed in you. I'm sorry." Buffy stared at the storybook in her hands then placed it under Henry's pillow. She leaned down closer "For when you wake up." Buffy watched him for another moment before walking to the door. Buffy stared at the mayor as she entered the room "Say what you gotta say. You got ten minutes."  
"You know where to meet?" Regina asked.  
"Yeah. Don't be late." Buffy left the room she had two more things to do before she meet Regina.

* * *

Buffy quickly ran into the apartment and ran upstairs, she pulled out the weapons chest in her room. She quickly unlocked the chest and stared down at her old slayer stuff. She moved the numerous stakes and axes out of the way, and pulled out her black leather trousers, her black vest and her red leather jacket. Once she was dressed she attached a brace for the Scythe onto her back, as well as her sword holster. Buffy quickly looked at herself in the mirror, it was like nothing had ever happened, like she was still in Sunnydale going out for patrol. Buffy sighed "Hello... again."

* * *

Buffy banged on August's door "August? Come on open up. I know you're in there, so open the door. And don't pretend like you're not in there because I will knock down the door if you do that."  
"I can't." Buffy hears August say.  
Buffy kicked the door not enough to knock it off it's hinges but enough to cause it to slam open. Once she entered the room the slayer froze. Majority of August's body was now wood. "What the hell is happening to you? Cause that's some weird looking infection?"  
"You can see it now." August says weakly. "You believe."  
Buffy nodded and walked towards him "Yep. I do... even started wearing my version of a superhero suit again. H-how do I stop this woody skin stuff?"  
"Break the curse."  
"I'll try." Buffy says as she sits on the edge of the bed. "But right now, I gotta save Henry. But I need your help."  
"No you don't."  
"Yeah, I do. I don't know if I can even be the person who saves people anymore. This is too much. It's been a long time sense I used my slayerness for anything more than beating on vamps for the rush. I-don't know...how to be a hero, a savior."  
"Lucky for us...being The Slayer, a hero. It comes naturally to you. It's like riding a bike for you. It's in your D.N.A. You can save Henry, you can save all of..." August stops as the rest of his body turns to wood leaving nothing but a puppet. "August? Come on, don't pull a Sid and just turn back into a puppet."  
Buffy sighed sadly before raising from her seat. She knew what she had to do now.

* * *

Buffy stands out side the clock tower waiting for Regina, when she hears Regina approaching she turns around. Regina raises an eyebrow "That's seriously what you wear to deal with situations like this."  
Buffy shrugged "It's worked since I was 15." Regina opens the door and switches on the light as the two women enter. "What is this place? Reminds me of my high school." Buffy says.  
"Would you like a tour, or shall we just get to it?" Regina asks sarcastically.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Lead the way."  
Regina sighs and walks over to the wall as she places her hand on it the wall goes upwards revealing a large elevator shaft. "Whoa. That's new." Buffy said.  
"So what is a slayer? Ms. Summer?" Regina asked as she pressed one of the buttons causing the elevator doors to open.  
Buffy raised an eyebrow "It's a mythical warrior. Here's an idea look it up. Slayer comma The. I'm sure you'll find something, hell ask Gold he seems to know what he's talking about."  
As the doors open Regina turns to Buffy "Interesting. Now get it."  
"After you." Buffy says as she watches the mayor suspiciously.  
"It's a 2-man job. The elevator's hand-operated. I have to stay up here and lower you down."  
Buffy scoffs "And what I'm just supposed to trust you? I don't trust easily Who do I look like to you Ned Flanders?"  
"I don't think you have much choice in the matter, Ms. Summers."  
Buffy turns to Regina as she walks over to the elevator "I've been in a lot of battles, like a lot. What's so different about this one? Who is down there?"  
"An old friend."  
"Oh, I have an idea, you got talk to her. Do the whole girl talk and chit chat hell give her a manicure if it gets us what we want."  
"Her punishment here was different than everyone's else's. I trapped her...in a different form. She doesn't wanna hear from me. You have to trust me on that."  
Buffy looked at Regina carefully "How different we talking here? She's not gonna be a giant snake right? I have had my fill of those."  
Regina shook her head "Trust me, it's better if you see for yourself."  
Buffy sighed "Okey-dokey. I'll go down into the pit of despair you've got down there. But I'm gonna make one thing very clear..."Your Majesty." Normally I don't kill humans but I have made an exception before. So listen here the only reason you're 6 feet under is because I need your help to save Henry. If he dies...so do you."  
"Well, then let's get on with it."  
The two glares at each other for a moment before Regina goes on "Now this is what you're going to have to do."

* * *

Buffy stands in the elevator as it quickly goes down, slowly she pulls out her sword and prepares herself for what is too happen next. Once the elevator stops Buffy steps into the large cave like tunnel, she makes her way around the large cave and stares in shock when she sees the glass coffin from Henry's book. Buffy backs away and walks into something solid. Suddenly the solid object she was leaning against started to move Buffy jumped back and turned to see a huge Dragon. "Ok, definitely not a snake."  
Buffy dodges out of the way as the dragon blows fire out of it's mouth. She rolls and ends up behind one of the large boulders "Dammit, why did it have to be a dragon? I knew I should have paid attention to my lessons in high school."  
The dragon swings out it's tail causing the boulder to break. Buffy jumps up and run flipping over objects as she did "I miss The First." Buffy said as she continued to move around the room. As she runs Buffy realises she dropped the sword by the boulder. She quickly runs past the dragon raising the scythe and slicing off one of it's arms as she does. The dragon screams in agony and starts to breathe fire all around the room. Buffy quickly grabs the sword "Hey, fugly!" Buffy yelled "You want me dead, well bring it on...dick." As the dragon prepared to attack her Buffy launched the sword at the dragon. The dragon suddenly begun to combust as the sword hit it, it expoded into a pile of dust leaving only the sword and the golden egg in it's wake. Buffy walks over and places the sword back in the holster before grabbing the egg.

* * *

Buffy stands in the elevator clutching the egg to herself, suddenly the elevator came to abrupt stop. "Regina? Regina!" Buffy yelled.  
Suddenly Mr. Gold's head popped out from the top of the elevator shaft about 15 feet above her "Ms. Summers? You've got it?"  
Buffy looks at him confused "Mr. Gold. What are you doing here?"  
"I've come to check on you. I'm glad I did. Regina abandoned you and sabotaged the elevator."  
Buffy's eyes widened "What? Alright back up, I'm coming up should only take me two jumps."  
"There's no time for this. You will have yo grab onto the wall before you can continue to get up here, you can't possibly carry that."  
"I can try, easy as pie."  
"No, you can't. Just toss it up. Your boys gonna be fine. Trust me. We're running out of time. Toss it up."  
Buffy hesitates but she doesn't want to risk it dropping the egg when she jumps. "Fine. You hold onto it. I'll be up in a second."  
Buffy tosses up the egg and the moment she does Gold walks away "Gold!" Buffy screams she quickly jumped and then as she landed on the floor in the clock tower she rolled to avoid injury.  
As she stands she sees Regina tied to a chair. "Regina." Buffy quickly pulls the tape from her mouth "Uhh! He tricked you!" The Mayor exclaimed "How could you give him that?"  
"Where is he?" Buffy asks as she rips the restraints off Regina.  
"Gone. Gold. He manipulated all of this."  
Once Regina is released Buffy turns to the door "Come on, we can catch him." Both women freeze as their phones start ringing, Buffy looks down at her phone "It's the hospital."

* * *

Regina and Buffy run to the hospital but stop when they come face to face with Whale and Mother superior. Whale looked at the two mothers sadly "We did everything we could."  
Mother Superior turned to the women "I'm sorry. You're too late." Buffy's eyes widened and everything around her blurs to the background. She slowly walks into the ICU and walks over to Henry who lies there, no longer moving or breathing. Buffy stares feeling her heart break as she watches the boy.  
While Regina sobs Buffy walks over to Henry tears falling down her face. She strokes his face and leans down "I love you, Henry." She whispers before kissing his forehead. Suddenly a burst of magic is released Buffy leans back in shock, suddenly Henry gasps. Buffy gasps as well realiaved. Henry takes a deep breath a looks over at Buffy "I love you, too. You saved me." Buffy smiles and feels more tears fall down her face.  
"You did it." Regina says.  
Buffy turns to the woman and smiles before turning back to Henry.  
The people in the room start looking at Buffy with wide eyes "Henry...why do I feel like an elephant playing the saxophone in the middle of a mariachi band? What's going on?" She asked the boy.  
Henry sits up slowly looking around the room at everyone. Regina eyes widen as she realises what's happening "No. No."  
"The curse. I think you broke it." Henry tells Buffy.  
Mother Superior stepped forward "That was true love's kiss."  
"No. No." Regina exclaims.  
The now awakened leader of the fairy's turns to Regina a hateful look in her eyes "If i were you, your majesty, I'd find a place to hide."  
Regina walks over to the bed "Henry...no matter what you think, no matter what anyone tells you, I do love you." Regina smiles at him tears in her eyes, she then quickly leaves the room to escape.

* * *

Buffy looks over at Henry "Henry, what's going on? I thought they were supposed to go back to magical fairytale land or whatever it's called, once the curse was broken."  
Henry shook his head "I...I don't know."  
Suddenly one of the nurses drops the tray causing a large clattering noise. "Are you okay?" Buffy asked as she walked over to her. Henry followed her and both him and Buffy stared out the window at the large purple fog heading towards them "What is that?" Buffy asks.  
Henry stares at the fog "Something bad."


	27. Broken

**Broken**

* * *

Willow sits in the white room where the Oracles used to reside. She places the last ingredient in the bowl in front of her then lights it on fire "Appear!" Willow yells.  
Witch! What gives you the right to disturb our peace!?" The male Oracle asks.  
"Silence." The female yells before turning to Willow "Young witch what are you doing?"  
Willow stands "I have a question about Buffy Summers."  
"What did you bring me?" The woman asks.  
Willow pulled out a Orb of Thesulah and shows in too the woman. The woman smiles "An Orb of Thesulah, one that was used to place the original curse on Angelus. How did you find it?"  
Willow smiles "At a thrift store."  
The woman chuckles "Ok, child you may ask us one question but it cannot involve knowing where the Slayer's location is."  
Willow nods sadly "A warlock known as Dragomir said that Buffy was with her real family, I want to know what he really meant."  
"We cannot." The man says to the woman.  
The woman raises her hand "We can tell her the basics the rest she will have to learn in her own time."  
The woman turns to Willow "Buffy Summers was not born in this world, her parents are not Joyce and Hank Summers. Buffy Summers was sent here from another realm for her safety and the powers placed her with Joyce and Hank in hopes of keeping her safe."  
Willow looks at her shocked and even more confused then before "But why?"  
The room suddenly starts to shake, the man turns to the other Oracle a look of pure joy on his face "The Curse."  
"Is broken." The woman says with equal amounts of joy. The oracle turns to Willow  
"Your question has been answered, do not return." Suddenly Willow was thrown back and out of the room.

* * *

Mary Margaret and David look around confused as the purple smoke starts to disappear. Mary Margaret turns to her husband "What's happening?"  
David smiles at her "Let's find out."  
Mary Margaret nods and the two slowly walked around. They stop when they spot Ruby and Granny hugging. The two turn to look at Mary Margaret and David "Snow?" Ruby says. The women threw their arms around each other out of joy. Once they pull away Ruby hugs David while Mary Margaret hugs Granny. "Snow." Granny breathes joyfully.  
"Your highness." Mary Margaret turns to Leroy and the other dwarfs standing there. They bow at the princess before she hugs them all. As she pulls away Leroy looks at her "The curse? It's broken?"  
"It would appear so." David says as he comes to stand by his wife's side.  
"So what do we do now?" Ruby asks.  
"Now? Now I find my daughter." Mary Margaret says.  
"I knew it." Yells Henry as he runs over to them. "Henry!" Mary Margaret exclaims as the boy hugs both her and David. Henry smiles and looks up at them "So Gramdma and Grandpa. Huh?"  
David chuckles "Yeah, I guess so."  
Mary Margaret looks down at Henry "Henry, where's Buffy?"  
Henry turns around "She was right behind me. I don't know where she went."  
Mary Margaret and David move to go search for their daughter when Henry stops them "Wait! She doesn't know!"  
Mary Margaret looks at the boy confused "Doesn't know what Henry?"  
"She doesn't know you're her parents. I never told her."

* * *

 **A few minutes earlier**

Buffy follows Henry out of the hospital and into the town as they turn down the road on the way to Granny's Henry runs ahead clearly very excited. Before Buffy can run after him someone suddenly appears right in front of her. "Whistler?" Buffy asks stunned by his sudden appearance "What the hell are you doing here?"  
Whistler smiles "hello, too you to kid. Well at least this isn't as bad as last time I saw you, you were very intent to rip out my ribcage."  
Buffy glares at the demon "That option is still on the table if you don't explain what your doing here? Although who knows maybe this time I'll use your head as a basketball."  
Whistler chuckles "I see you still enjoy that twisted sense of imagery of yours. Look kid, I'm here cause you need to be prepared. The moment you go out there you are going to learn a lot of things. You may not understand them."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Why don't you just tell me then Mr. Know it all."  
Whistler nods "I'm waiting for permission."  
Buffy scoffs "Wow the powers really have you on a tight leash huh?"  
"Look kid, I'm will be back in a little bit to explain, but I'm just here to warn you, just in case the secrets spill before I'm back."  
Buffy sighs in annoyance "What is the big secret?"  
Whistler smiles "You'll see kid, you'll see. By the way, well done with the dragon. Very impressive." Before Buffy could respond Whistler disappeared "Dammit!" Buffy exclaims "Stupid, little, liquor stealing, annoyance demon." Buffy threw her hands in the air in annoyance before heading to Granny's.

* * *

"You didn't tell her?" David asks stunned.  
Henry shakes his head "I was going to when she first showed up but then she told me what happened to her mom and I couldn't. I was waiting for the right time."  
Before Mary Margaret and David could say anything they all froze when they saw Buffy turn into the road. Mary Margaret and David look at their daughter currently wearing leather while carrying a sword and bright red axe. "Henry!" Buffy yells.  
Buffy looks around then spots him; she runs towards the group. "Damn." One of the dwarfs says as Buffy comes towards them, David turns and gives them a warning look causing said dwarf to back away slightly.  
"Buffy, where did you go?" Henry asks.  
Buffy sighs "A nuisance from my past just popped up, literally."  
Mary Margaret and David continued to stare at their daughter tears of joy in their eyes. The two step closer to her and wrap their arms around her "You found us." Mary Margaret says as her voice breaks.  
After a moment Buffy pulls away completely confused "Alrighty then. Good to see you guys too."  
"She did it..." Henry says "She saved you."  
"You saved all of us." Mary Margaret says.  
"Ahh...I...crap." Buffy just couldn't think of what to say.  
Luckily she didn't have to as Leroy decided it was time to speak up "Uh, then why are we still here?"  
Buffy shrugs "Don't ask me. I slayed the dragon. My work here is done."  
David smiles then turns to Leroy "That, my friend, is an excellent question."  
Suddenly all the dwarfs start asking questions "And what was that smoke?", "Who did this?", "and what was that smoke?", "And why?", "And what was that smoke?"  
"Magic." The blue fairy says as she walks over to the group "It's here."  
Henry steps forward "Magic? In Storybrooke? You're the blue fairy. Do something magical."  
"It's not quite that simple Henry, no wand, no fairy dust. Matters are complicated now."  
Buffy steps forward "Here's what I'm not getting, why bring magic to this world? We got more than enough, honestly I wish we had a little less."  
The fairy turns to her confused "There is magic in this world?" Buffy nods, the blue fairy looks at Buffy closely before a sad look crosses her face "Oh, my I'm so sorry about what happened to you. The dark magic used for that spell, still surrounds you."  
Buffy's eyes widen as she realises what the fairy is talking about. She tries to respond but couldn't. "Buffy, what's she talking about?" Mary Margaret asks.  
Buffy shakes her head "It doesn't matter. But I think I may know why magic was brought here. Magic it's different here, tends to be darker a lot of it comes from demonic sources. As you guys aren't from this world maybe you don't have access to it."  
The blue fairy nods "That does makes sense. We are not from this realm. Our magic is different."  
Leroy nods "Let's go to the person responsible for the bringing it—the Queen."  
The dwarf all start to nod but as they Buffy realises something "No, wait. It wasn't Regina."

* * *

"Buffy, we need to talk." Snow says as all of them walk down the road heading for Gold's shop.  
Buffy shrugs "Look, can we talk about whatever it is later. Right now I have questions for Mr. Gold. Ones which if he does not answer, I will start slicing and dicing with my little toy." Buffy gestures to the scythe she was now spinning in her hand.  
"Where did you get that? It has powerful magic." The blue fairy asks the blonde.  
"I pulled it out of the stone in Sunnydale. It was my own little King Arthur moment. Anyway there was a guide she said it was forged for one like me.  
"What do you mean one like you?" David asks his daughter.  
"She's a Slayer."  
Henry answers. Buffy turns to look at the boy shocked "How did you know that?"  
Henry smirks "August."  
"So what is a slayer?" Mary Margaret asks.  
"Go one kid, I'm guessing puppet man filled you in on the whole gest."  
Henry smiles "A slayer is a mythical warrior, she is chosen at a young age to defend the world from darkness. She is gifted with strength and speed and hightened senses. August said that the powers took advantage of the fact that you were a product of true love and made sure you would become the slayer."  
Buffy sighs "Oh, great the powers screwed with my life again. I've been dealing with their crap since I was 15. Not a fan. Hey what's the gest with the whole true love stuff? I'm not getting that, Gold said it as well."  
Mary Margaret sighs but stops when she hears Leroy "What does a slayer fight against?"  
Buffy turns to the group "Look this world is different beyond the border's of Storybrooke, there are horrors like you have never seen and trust me I will explain that later but right now we have other issues."

Before anyone could respond David speaks "Snow." He says gesturing to the angry town's people currently running around the town. "There you are." Archie says as he runs over to the group "Come with me. I need your help. Dr. Whale's whipped everyone into a frezy. They're going to Regina's house. They're gonna kill her."  
"Great. Let's watch." Leroy comments.  
"No. No. We cannot stoop to her level. No matter who she is or what she's done, killing her is wrong."  
"He's right." Henry says in agreement "Please. She's still my mom."  
Buffy looks down at Henry for a moment before turning to the group "We have to stop them."  
David nods "If Buffy and the blue fairy are right and magic from the Enchanted Forest is here, Regina could have her powers back. They could be marching into a slaughter."  
All of them start running heading Regina's house.

* * *

Buffy pushes through the crowd just as Whale is about to strangle regina "Let her go!" Buffy yells. Buffy grabs Whale but he shrugs her off  
"Why should I listen to you?"  
Buffy steps forward "2 reasons: 1- I am still sheriff and 2: Well..." Buffy threw Whale across the lawn causing everyone to gasp in shock. Mary Margaret and David stare at their daughter stunned by how strong she is.  
David then turns to the shocked crowd "She saved you, all of you."  
"And because no matter what Regina did, it does not justify this." Snow yells.  
Buffy walks over to Whale "We are not murders here."  
"Well, were not from this world."  
Buffy smirks "Well better get with the program 'cause you're in it now. Just be happy your not living on a Hellmouth."  
David walks over and pulls Whale to his feet "Okay, Whale, we're done."  
Whale pulls away from the prince "Back off. You're not my prince."  
David looks at him intently "Who are you, whale?"  
"That's my business."  
David scoffs "Well, my business is making sure this town doesn't go to hell, so whether or not I'm your prince isn't the issue. We have a lot to figure out, and this isn't the way to do it."  
Mary Margaret turns to the crowd "And Regina's death won't provide any answers. She needs to be locked up for her safety and more importantly, for ours."

* * *

"So I'm a prisoner now." Regina says as David locks her up in the cell.  
David glares at her "If the curse is broken, why didn't we go back?"  
"Because there's nothing to go back to. That land is gone."  
"We should get to Gold." Snow says to her husband.

Buffy and Henry follow David and Mary Margaret outside. As they all step outside the see Granny and the others talking across the street. As they walk suddenly a large puff of smoke appears and out of it steps Whistler. Whistler looks around at the shocked town's people before turning his gaze on Buffy "Hey, kid. Sorry that took me so long."  
"Buffy who is this?" Snow asks  
Buffy turns to the group "Give me a minute." She says before walking towards Whistler and punching him in the face. Whistler flies a good 20 feet away, once he lands he grunts in pain before standing "What the hell was that for?"  
Buffy shrugs "No reason you just irritate me. Look just be happy I don't make good on my promise of making your head my new basketball."  
Whistler sighs "Again with the imagery, I think you have a problem. It's gotten worse since you were 17. Although last time you actually had a reason, you know having to kill An-."  
"Shut your mouth!" Buffy hisses "Just tell me what I wanna know before I start getting testy."  
Whistler raises his arms "Fine, I'll tell you but first the powers say that you have to show these lovely town's folk exactly what dangers come outside the lines of Storybrooke."  
Suddenly a large dome bubble surrounds Buffy trapping her inside "You have got to be kidding me." Buffy says.  
Whistler shakes his head "Nope sorry, kid it's gotta be done."  
David and Snow turn to the demon furious "Let her out!" They both yell.  
When everyone started to move towards Whistler they found themselves frozen "Look, I don't have time for this." Whistler says "So I suggest you watch and see exactly what Ms. Summers is capable of."

Suddenly 5 large demons appeared inside the bubble with Buffy. Buffy watches them careful before she realises they look a lot like the demons that attacked her right after she was resurrected. "Oh, boy." Buffy says as she remembers that some of the demons had taken off after she killed the leader Razor. "Let me guess" Buffy calls to Whistler "A battle to the death?"  
David and Mary Margaret stare terrified as does Henry and everyone else as Buffy was surrounded by monsters. Whistler turns to the people "In this world there are dangers involve vampires, demons and the forces of darkness. Buffy here was chosen to start battle when she was 15. She was chosen as the slayer. When one girl dies another is called. But then their were two, much to everyone's surprise, but how is a story for Buffy to explain. Almost five years ago Buffy had a witch do a spell which would awaken every potential on the planet. But here she remains the strongest and longest living slayer."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I am so sick of those dumbass speeches. Do the powers give you flash cards?"  
Before Whistler could answer one of the demons turns to Buffy "Slayer." He hisses "It's been a while."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "I'm sorry am I supposed to know you."  
"My boys and I were with Razor the night you came back to the land of the living. You were all scared like a rabid animal that night. Now as you killed our leader I think we're gonna have some fun with you. Before we kill you."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Yeah, I get it your bad to the bone. Can we quit it with the chit chat." The demon smiles and before Buffy could do anything two Demons grab her from behind holding her in place. The new leader walks in front of her and punches her in the face. Buffy's head swings to the side, she coughed up some blood then looks at her friends outside the bubble "Henry close your eyes. I don't want you to see this." Henry looks at Buffy terrified before having Ruby walking over and hugging him so he couldn't watch. While Mary Margaret and David now able to move desperately tried to get into the dome. Buffy turns back to the demon that was now smirking "You wanna play. Let's go." Buffy says. Buffy swings her self in a backflip using the two demons holding her to balance her self. As she flips she kicks the leader in the face, once she lands on the ground she sent a jab to the face of one of the demon's holding her. As she did she sends an elbow strike to the other before then striking him in the throat causing him to fall. She flips over the one she had punched coming up behind him and swiftly snaps his neck. Then one of the other demons runs at her, the two fall too the ground and Buffy's Scythe and the sword slide away from her. Buffy kicks the demon in the face as it tries to stand before flipping back up. Buffy sends a double round house kick to the demon currently coming at her. The one which she had struck in the neck stood and runs at her with a knife Buffy grabs his arm twisting it causing the knife to go into his own stomach. Buffy takes the knife the threw it at the head of the demon she kicked.  
Buffy runs for the scythe doing an aerial cartwheel over one of the demons. She lifts the Scythe and spins around swinging it at one of the demons, he ducks it and punches Buffy is the stomach causing his metal claws to leave a scratch on her. Buffy ignores the pain and swings the axe again catching the demon in the stomach "Three down." Buffy says as she turns to the last two Buffy runs at them; she wrapped her legs around one of their necks while wrapping her arms around the other. She twisted her self so they all fall to the ground. Buffy quickly rolls herself back up, she swing the scythe effectively removing one of the demon's heads before turning to the other who was now standing glaring at her.  
"You ain't got the bal—"  
Before he could finish Buffy brought the scythe between his legs "Like I said to Caleb, who does these days." Buffy raises the Scythe effectively leaving the demon in two pieces.

Buffy turns around breathing heavily, everyone stares in shock but Whistler just grins. Buffy walked over to the edge of the bubble "Open it, and explain. Now!"  
Whistler bowed and lowered the bubble. The moment Buffy was out everyone ran to her to check on her, Snow gasps at the sight of Buffy's side which was now bleeding.  
"What is the big secret?"  
Whistler looks between Buffy's parents and the slayer, Buffy notices "What the hell is going on? Someone explain or I'm gonna be using this Scythe again!"  
Whistler sighs "Look kid, I didn't want to have to tell it to you this way but—you are not who you think you are. You are from their realm you were sent here as a baby. The moment you arrived The Power sensed your power, the product of true love. They knew you would be a great warrior and that was something they desperately needed. So they took advantage of what you are. They used much of their power to write you a new destiny as the slayer and too make sure no one would be able to know the truth. They were foretold that it would be you that finally defeated the first's army. So they did what they had too."  
Buffy shakes her head confused "That doesn't make sense if I'm not from this world... then that means—"  
"Joyce and Hank weren't your parents. Not biologically anyway. But they didn't know that, they loved you and raised you."  
Buffy's breathing starts to pick up but she tries to keep the tears from falling. "What about Dawn? They have to be my parents cause of Dawn. I jumped into the energy in Dawn's place. I died for her, and the only reason that I was able to do that was because of blood."  
Whistler shakes his head "That's complicated kid. You see none of the Powers knew what the monks would do. The monks made her out of what they thought was you, Joyce and Hank."  
Buffy shakes her head "Then how?"  
Whistler sighs "The powers used almost all their magic up. They knew you needed to experience the loss and the pain in order to complete your journey. The moment you jumped into the energy they used all the power they had to do a spell that would take the blood you had on your hands, Dawn's blood and make the portal believe that it was truly the key."  
Buffy starts to visibly shake "Oh, my God."  
Whistler wished that he could stop seeing the heartbroken look on the young girl's face but he had no choice "There's more. Your parents, you're real parents well..."  
Whistler gestures to Snow and David. Buffy looks at the couple before turning back to Whistler "You mean?"  
"Yep. You are the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming."  
Buffy stares at him with wide eyes "Oh."

* * *

"Buffy? Buffy?" Henry says as he pulls on her arm. Buffy shakes herself out of her frozen state "Sorry, just a lot of bombshells being dropped on me at the moment." Buffy turns back to Whistler intent on ending this little meeting "Are we done?" She said with a voice voide of emotion.  
Whistler nods "Yeah, kid. But one more thing. Here." He tosses Buffy a small box. "Angel said he wanted you too have this."  
Buffy's eyes widen she slowly opens the box to see Angel's Calladagh ring on a long chain "He said that way you would always remember him if anything happened."  
Buffy looks up at the demon "Is he—"  
Whistler nods "I'm sorry kid. Be seeing you." He says before disappearing.  
Buffy with a shaky hand takes the necklace out of the box and puts it on. "Buffy are you ok? Your bleeding." Mary Margaret asks gesturing to Buffy's side.  
Buffy shrugs "It will heal." Buffy turns to the others and looks at Ruby "Ruby I have to go deal with Gold. Could you watch Henry?"  
Ruby gave the slayer a smile "Of course."

* * *

While Granny and the dwarf's headed inside the diner; David and Mary Margaret follow Buffy.  
As they walked to Ruby's car Henry turns to Buffy "I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Buffy nods "It's okay. But right now I'm still trying to process everything, so we'll talk about it later."  
As they climb in the car Buffy looks over at Ruby "Keep him safe, Ruby." She says before Ruby drives off with Henry.

Snow watches her daughter as she says goodbye to Henry. "Don't push it, Snow." David tells her "She has been through a lot and has known the truth for about two minutes, she needs time."  
Snow nods "I won't push her."  
Buffy walks over to them and hands David the sword "I'm guessing this is yours?"  
David looks at the sword and slowly takes it "Thank you, it's been a long time since I held this."  
Buffy nods awkwardly then looks at them both "You guys ready?"  
"We need to talk." Snow says.  
Buffy shakes her head "I—well, I don't—I can't and I don't wanna talk."  
"Well, I do. Okay, Gold can wait. I can't. And you're my daughter, and...I want to talk to you. I know that we have talked, but we didn't know that we were talking, and we talked about things we probably shouldn't have even talked about—one night stands and the like."  
"One night stands" David interjects.  
"Whale."  
"Whale?" David exclaims.  
Snow raises her hand "We were cursed. That is neither here nor there. The point is, we did not know that we were mother and daughter, and now we do and—"  
"Stop, just stop." Buffy says cutting the woman off. She looks up at the two of them sadly "I can't do this. Don't you get it, five minutes ago I thought that my father was a jackass currently screwing his secretary in Spain. And my mum...I loved her more than anything. And know I find out the woman who raised me, who loved me, who was there for me during everything I have been through over the years. The woman whose bedside I sat by every night when she was in hospital, the mother I found on the couch dead. Is not actually my mother. And that my little sister, the sister I raised after my mom passed, the sister I died for... that she's not even technically my sister. I have just learnt that everything I have ever known has been a lie. But that doesn't change the fact that my mom, was my mom. And I'm sorry it's not just gonna take me beating the crap out of some demons to get over that and process everything. But I am not ready to do this, not now."  
Buffy starts to walk past them her face void of any emotion "Come on, let's just get to Gold."  
As Buffy walks off Snow turned to her Husband "David—"  
He nodded "I know. But she needs time." He takes his wife's hand in his own.  
"David both that Whistler guy and Buffy—they said...David our daughter died."  
David nods still terrified at the information much like his wife "Once she is ready to talk we will ask her?"  
Snow gave him a small smile and the two walk after Buffy.

* * *

"You really outta get that door fixed." Buffy comments with a smirk on her face as she enters the shop.  
Gold turns to her "Well, maybe if you hadn't have kicked it down with your violent outburst, I would not have to. So what can I do for you?"  
Buffy walks over to the counter and places the bloody Scythe on the table before looking up at Gold "You are going to tell us what you did?"  
"I'm sorry you're going to have to be more specific."  
"You know damn well what we're talking about." David says.  
"You double-crossed Buffy," Snow says "Uh, uh, took your potion from her..."  
"And did who knows what to this town." David added.  
Buffy glares at Gold "Worst of all, you risked Henry's life."  
Gold turns to the blond "Well, that is quite a litany of grievances, now isn't it?"  
"Maybe I don't need answers maybe I just need to punch you in the face. Repeatedly."  
Gold laughs "Oh. Really, dearie?" Gold steps around from behind the counter to face the three of them "Allow me to answer your questions with some of my own. All right? Did your dear boy Henry survive?"  
"Yeah."  
"Is the curse broken? And let's see from the look on your face I'm guessing you also now know the truth about your parents. Looks like you're reunited. Seems like rather a punch in the face, I deserve a thank-you."  
Buffy smirks "Sorry, I don't thank lunatics who twist my words. The haze you brought here was it what I think it is?"  
Gold smiles "You're smarter than I thought. Yes, Magic."  
"Why." Snow asks.  
Gold looks at the raven haired woman "Not telling."

Suddenly the room started to shake Buffy groaned in pain as she hit her wound with the side of the scythe. "Better get that fixed dearie." Gold says as he looks at the wound.  
"I've had worse. Trust me a knife wound to the gut or a gun shot wound to the chest hurts a hell of a lot more. I know, why don't you continue to piss me off and I'll show just how painful that can be. Now what the hell was that?  
David and Snow run to the door looking out the glass "That is my gift to you." Gold tells Buffy "That is gonna take care of Regina." The room starts to shake again while lights explode outside the store. "Buffy, come on." Snow calls.  
David walks over to Buffy "We need to go take care of this."  
Buffy continues to glare at Gold "We're not done."  
Gold nods in agreement "Oh, I know. You still owe me a favour." Buffy turns on him and heads out with David and Mary Margaret.

* * *

Buffy, Snow and David run into the sheriff's station to see a shadow figure hurting Regina. Buffy walks over to the desk "Get down!" She yells to David and Snow. The moment they do Buffy lifts the desk and throws it at the figure. The figure turns on them and throws David across the room, when it turns to Buffy she raises the scythe and tries to swing it at it's head. The figure grabs the scythe and uses it to through Buffy upwards smashing against the ceiling, it then tosses her through the glass door into her office.  
Snow silently sneaks up on the monster "Over here!" She yells before talking her lighter and using the spray to send a flame at the beast. The monster crashes out of the window and disappears into the night.  
David quickly runs over to Buffy "Buffy! Are you okay?"  
As Daivd helps her stand Buffy nods "Well, I'm not a hugs and kisses but I can define myself as okay." Buffy shakes herself causing more glass to fall off her clothes. Buffy walks towards the cell "What the hell was that thing?" She asks Regina.  
"A wraith!" Regina exclaims "A soul sucker."  
Snow turns to Regina "Did I—"  
"Kill it? No, it's regenerating. It'll be back. It doesn't stop until it devours its prey. Me"  
Buffy scoffs "Sound like a vampire. But I'm guessing I can't just stake the damn thing, so how do I kill it?"  
"We." Mary Margaret corrects "How do we kill it?"  
"There's no way." Regina tells them "You can't kill something that's already dead."  
Buffy shakes her head "Yep, I'm not on board with that, plus I've killed plenty of things which were already dead. But until we can figure out how to make it deader we have a problem."  
"No. We don't." David says "Regina does."  
Regina turns to him confused "What?"  
Mary Margaret looks at her husband stunned "David?"  
"You want to let her die?" Buffy asks.  
David shrugs "Why not? Then it goes away. Then we're safe."  
Regina glares at him "That's quite the example you're setting for your daughter there."  
"Huh?" Buffy says but then remembers "Oh, right. That would be me. Really gotta start remembering that."  
David steps closer to Regina "No." He growls at the evil queen "You don't get to judge us."  
"Let me ask you something. Where do you think that thing came from?" Regina exclaims "Gold."  
Buffy sighs "Crap. I made a promise to Henry." She says to David "She's not dying."  
Snow smiles at her daughter before looking at Regina "If it can't be killed, what do you suggest?"  
"Send it somewhere it can't hurt anyone." Regina suggests.

* * *

Regina places an oddly shaped box on the table in her office. As she opens it she turns to Buffy "Did Henry really ask you to protect me?"  
Buffy nods "Yes. So for now think of me as your own very reluctant supernatural bodyguard against demons."  
Regina smiles slightly before pulling a hat out of the box. Buffy's eyes widen "The hat. You had it all along."  
Regina looks at the blond confused "What do you mean?"  
"That's Jefferson's hat."  
"Who's Jefferson?"  
Before Buffy could respond in walks Snow and David with brooms in their arms "Torches for when it come back." David explains "I know it's old-fashioned, but so am I."  
Snow turns to Regina "So...how does it work?"

The three follow Regina into the meeting room as she explains "It will open a portal to our land. All we have to do is send the wraith in there." Regina places the hat carefully on the ground in the middle of the room, while David places the torches on the table "Oh, yeah. Just that."  
Buffy laughs "Oh, please this is nothing, try fighting a crazy bitchy ass hell God who feels home sick or even an army of Uber vamps that can literally can rip a person in pieces. Compared to that this is a piece of cake."  
Both Snow and David look at Buffy worried and slightly horrified at learning more about the battles their daughter had endured.  
Snow shakes herself and gets back to focus turning to Regina "I don't understand. I thought our land was gone."  
"It is." Regina tells them "But sending it to a place that no longer exists...well, that's banishing it to oblivion."  
Suddenly the lights in the room begin the flicker and the door begin to shake. David grabs one of the torches lighting it up while Buffy looks down at the mayor "Regina."  
"I'm trying." Regina says as she continues to spin the hat.  
When they hear the wraith roar all of them turn to look at the doors, they slam open and the wraith flies in. "Regina." Buffy says again urging the woman to hurry up.  
"I know." She responds slightly panicked.  
David runs towards the beast while Mary Margaret pores the alcohol over the bars. "David!" She calls, David runs back and shuts the small wooden gate before pressing the flaming torch on the bars. They immediately catch fire creating a temporary barrier between the women and the wraith "Hurry!" David yells as he continues to fight.  
Regina turns back to the hat "It's not working."  
"What is the problem?" Buffy demands.  
"Magic. It's different here."  
"No kidding." Buffy says sarcastically.  
"Now would be the time!" David yells.  
Buffy bends down next to Regina placing a hand on the woman's shoulder trying to see if there is anything else that could be done. The moment her hand meets Regina's arm the hat starts to spin and a purple portal forming in it's place. Regina looks over at Buffy stunned and confused. The two of them stand and stare at the portal. "It's coming!" David yells. Buffy clutches the scythe and turns to see the wraith coming towards them. "Regina!" Buffy yells seeing the wraith coming straight for her, Buffy pushes the woman out of the way and almost gets away clean however the wraith grabs onto her leg and drags her and the scythe into the portal.  
Snow turns to see her daughter fall in the portal and screams "No!"  
"NO!" David screams as he as well sees Buffy fall.  
"I'm not losing her again!" Snow yells before running towards the portal,  
"Neither am I!" As Mary Margaret jumps inside the portal, David jumps over the gate and dives for the portal but as he does the portal closes causing him to crash into the ground. David looks up from the floor and looks around to see both his wife and daughter gone.

* * *

Buffy was close to passing out when she heard voices from above "Mulan, what is that?" One of the voices asked.  
The other voice answered the destain in her voice very clear "That...that is what brought the wraith here...that is what killed our prince."  
Buffy listens for another moment before unconsciousness consumes her.


	28. We are Both

**We are both**

* * *

 **Cleveland:**

Faith dumps her stuff in her room. She sits down on the bed and sighs, she couldn't believe it, not only was Buffy the daughter of Snow White and freaking Prince Charming but Angel...Angel was gone.  
Suddenly a knock comes from the door and in walks Xander "Faith your back, how was your—council paid vacation?"  
Faith doesn't look up "Informative. What do you want pirate?"  
"The truth. You may think I'm an idiot but I know that you have been in contact with Buffy. And I want answers now."  
Faith stands and walks over to Xander "Yes. I have been in contact with B. She's doing good. Apple pie life and all that jazz. Hell I bet she's having a movie night with her kid right now."  
Xander glares at the slayer "Faith, how could you lie to all of us. You know we had been searching for Buffy for years. And you knew the whole time. Why didn't you tell us?"  
Faith shakes her head in disbelief "Because she deserved to get away from this life. Dude she has lost more than you know. And she's about to lose a lot more but what she doesn't need is too be brought back into our war. She may be The Slayer, but she has done enough for all of us, hell she's done way too much, that it's starting to make the rest of us slayers look lazy."  
Xander stares at the woman stunned, he has never heard Faith talk with such passion, "Faith, what do you mean she's about to lose a lot more."  
Faith sighs "Look, it's not my business to share, but I will tell you that Buffy is currently learning something about herself, about her past and it's gonna change everything for her."  
Xander sighs before turning and heading for the door "Thank you. For telling me. I gotta go. And Faith um... a few new slayers showed up a couple weeks ago. Maybe you could—"  
Faith cuts in "I got it, I'm on babysitter duty with the brats."  
Xander chuckles before leaving the room.

Once he leaves the room Faith quickly rummages through her bag and pulls out her phone, she dials the number for Buffy's phone but wis met with voice mail "Shit."  
Faith decides to leave a message "B, hey it's me. Look I know the truth about you and I'm guessing by now so do you. But look you need to call me back, there is something you need to know...it's about Angel. Call me back." Faith hangs up the phone and throws it across the room. She slams her door shut and leans against it and finally let the tears that she had been holding in since she left Berlin fall.

* * *

Willow walks into Dawn's room. She was terrified about how she was going to explain what she had learned from the oracles. "Dawnie?" Willow calls as she walks around the room.  
"Hey, Will." Dawn says as she walks out of the bathroom, Dawn stops in her tracks when she sees the expression on the young witch's face, "Willow what's wrong?"  
Willow sighs "Dawn I think you should sit down."  
Dawn stays standing "No. Just tell me what ever your gonna tell me."  
Willow nods and sits down on one of the chairs "I went to see the Oracles and they said somethings about Buffy. Things that may be difficult for you to hear."  
"What is it?"  
Willow takes a deep breath "Buffy was adopted."  
Dawn's jaw drops open and she slowly lowers herself onto the bed "How is that possible? If she was adopted then she wouldn't have been able to sacrifice herself for me during the fight with Glory."  
Willow shakes her head "I don't know, they only told me that Buffy is not from this world and that her parents are not her parents. I don't know anything about how she was still able to sacrifice herself, but I did check and you are Hank and Joyce's daughter."

Dawn nods too stunned to speak, Willow stays with her for another moment before quietly getting up and leaving Dawn to be alone. Once Willow was gone Dawn stands and grabs her phone and calls Buffy, when the voicemail comes up Dawn grunts in frustration. She tosses the phone on the bed before collapsing on the bed herself.

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest**

Buffy and Mary Margaret are dragged behind the two women, their hands bound to rope as the horses the two woman are on pull them along. Snow looks over at her daughter "Can't you just rip through the ropes."  
Buffy nods "Yeah, but I would rather find out some information on our kidnappers here. Maybe they have something at their base that could help us get back. Plus that bitch in the armour has my Scythe and I want it back," Buffy whispers.  
Suddenly they stop "What is this place?" Snow asks the woman Mulan.  
"Our home." She replies before continuing towards the small island.

Buffy and Snow walk through the small village Mulan and her companion had brought them. They stop when they notice everyone staring at them "Why do I feel like I'm on one of those stupid survival reality TV shows right now?" Buffy whispers to Snow. They continue to walk and as Buffy looks around she speaks to Snow "It's like they're refugees."  
"We're survivors." Mulan tells them.  
Suddenly Snow turns around and knees the brunette woman in the pink dress in the stomach "Buffy, run!" She yells. The two of them run but Mary Margaret gets hit and falls to the ground "Mary Margaret!" Buffy yells. As the guards run towards them Buffy rips out of her ropes and grabs the broom next to her and uses it as a staff in order to knock all of them down.  
"Stop! Or I'll kill her!" One of the men yells as he points his knife at Snow's throat. Buffy growls at him before slowly dropping the staff and holding her hands in the air. "Take them to the pit!" Mulan orders then points at Buffy "Put that one in strongest chains we have."

* * *

Buffy is shoved through a door and chained to the wall, she watches as one of the men walks in and tosses Mary Margaret onto the ground "Be careful!" Buffy yells but he simply ignores her. Buffy turns to Mary Margaret but can't move because of the chains. She takes a deep breath then pulls causing the chains to be ripped from the wall. Buffy bends down next to Mary Margaret "Hey, come on! Wake up. Nap time's over. Can you hear me?"  
"Do you need help?" A voice asks, Buffy looks over to the corner of the cave towards the prisoner "Who are you?"  
"A friend." The woman says as she steps out of the shadows "My name's Cora."


	29. Lady of the Lake

**Lady of the Lake:**

* * *

Buffy stares at Cora, who is knelt by Snow "You sure she's gonna be okay?"  
Cora nods "Don't worry. She'll be fine."  
As Cora stands Buffy looks around the cave "So what is this place? Where are we? Cause honestly, this is kinda reminded me of that stupid graveyard hole Willow trapped me in."  
"It's a little island our captors like to think of as their Haven."  
Buffy turns to Cora confused "Haven? Why do they need a Haven?"  
"The world's dangerous. What's left of it, anyway."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, it's not like they can keep us down here forever, and if they try I'm going to get testy. I don't like being accused of things I haven't done."  
Cora nods in agreement "Neither do I."  
"So how comes your in this little hole of hell?"  
Cora hesitates "I'm here because of something...my daughter did. The curse that ravages this land—she cast it."  
Buffy's eyes widened "Regina. You're Regina's mom?"  
The woman nods ashamed "Yes. But you've nothing to fear from me. The apple fell very far from the tree. You're from over there, aren't you?" Buffy watches the woman suspiously as she continues "How'd you get back? And how did you break through those chains, they're enchanted." Cora says gesturing to the broken chains on the floor.

Before Buffy can say anything a voice interrupts the two "Buffy." Buffy turns to see Snow staring at Cora, fear in her eyes "No." The princess whispers.  
Cora smiles "Oh, Snow. You're awake. I'm so relieved."  
Snow grabs Buffy "As bad as you think Regina is, this woman is worse."  
"Oh, Snow." Cora sighs "Sweet Snow, please. Believe me, whatever she told you isn't true. I just want to help you."  
Snow steps in front of Buffy blocking her from Cora. Buffy rolls her eyes "What's with the human shield thing? You do realise I could bench press like 20 of her, one handed, while doing my nails right?"  
"Buffy." Snow hisses in warning.  
Buffy shrugs "What, I'm just saying. Anyway maybe, just maybe we should hear her out."  
"Buffy." Snow repeats this time very sternly.  
Buffy sighs "Okay, think for a sec. Me and you, stuck in the bottom on a hole and only one of us can leap out of here in a jump. And let me give you a hint, it's not you. Plus what other choice do we have, bat ears Regina is back in Storybrooke with Henry."  
Cora looks at the two confused "Who's Henry?"  
"My son. Me and Regina kinda of share him, it's complicated. Kinda of like that show Lost."  
Snow turns to Buffy "Don't talk to her."  
Buffy rolls her eyes just as a male voice comes from above "Enough!" Suddenly a rope drops into the middle of the hole "Our leader requests an audience."

* * *

"Why can't you just listen to me?" Snow asks Buffy as they are led to their captor's leader.  
Buffy shrugs "Why couldn't you have just trusted me? I was trying to find away back. I could have handled her, I've handled worse."  
"Cora? Don't be so sure. I've lived here, Buffy. I know this world and its dangers."  
"Wait here." The guard orders before walking off.

Buffy turns to Snow "Okay, no offence but you have no idea what my live was like. You think Cora is bad, well when I was 20, I had to battle a God from a hell dimension, who was trying to kill my sister. I have spent majority of my life fighting dangers you cannot even comprehend, I have been in more wars than anything. I have died not even once, but twice. That's the kind of world I grew up in, where everything can turn on you. which meant it could end in a painful death. Hell, you couldn't even have anything normal in your life. Not family, not friends, hell the love of my life was a freaking vampire. So I'm sorry if you think that I can't handle this world, but I can guarantee that mine was a literal hell, my town was literally on the mouth of hell. So I can handle anything, even a witch, 'cause I can guarantee I have seen worse, I watched my best friend, also a powerful witch get hooked on dark magic and try to end the world. That's the kind of danger I come from, from my world." Buffy stops and takes a deep breath "I'm sorry." Buffy says before looking away trying to control her anger.

Snow stares at Buffy stunned "Buffy, I—"  
Before Snow can respond Buffy raises a hand "No, don't please, just don't. So...is that why you jumped through the portal then, cause I'm not getting it, did you think I would be helpless here? Cause you saw me and those demons, so you should know that I can handle anything."  
Snow smiles "No. I came through to be with you."  
Buffy looks at the woman not knowing what to say, luckily Snow's attention was drawn to the leader as he appears "Lancelot?"  
Lancelot turns to the teacher "Snow." He says, before running over to her and pulling her into a hug. Once he pulls away he looks at the two women "If I had know you were the two prisoners Mulan had brought back, I never would've locked you away. Please forgive me."  
Snow smiles "Of course."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Lancelot, seriously? Guess Giles was wrong, that's a first."  
Snow turns to Buffy "He's an old friend. We can trust him." Snow turns to Lancelot "This is Buffy."  
Lancelot smiles and goes to shake her hand "Nice to meet you."  
Buffy smiles and shakes his hand. Lancelot stares at her stunned "You are rather strong."  
Buffy chuckles "Yeah, you will learn in time, that I'm stronger than all your men."

* * *

Buffy stares at the meat in front of her "What the hell is that? It reminds me of the insides of that Queller Demon that tried to kill my mom."  
Buffy who was still staring intently at the meat doesn't notice the sad look that crosses Snow's face. "I do not know what a Queller Demon is, but that is Chimera." Lancelot says as he walks over "An acquired taste, but all our hunting party could bring back. One part Lion, one part serpent, one part goat."  
"Sounds more like Adam. Just less human and robot bits." Buffy says as she continues to inspect the food.  
Snow turns to Lancelot "I don't understand. We were told this land didn't exist anymore. How did you all escape the curse?"  
"It is a mystery." He replies "The curse struck, and when the smoke cleared, most of us had been torn from this land. But some of us here, in this particular region, were left behind. We don't know how and we don't know why."

Buffy stops filling her plate full of food and turns to the knight "It could have been a protection spell, in my world there are specific spells, they can prevent against curses. Hell even reverse them."  
Lancelot shakes his head "We are not sure, there is no one here with that power that we know of. Anyway finding this safe haven wasn't easy, it took spilt blood. But worry not. You're safe here."  
Snow shakes her head sadly "Doesn't matter, we can't stay my husband's back there, Buffy's son, my grandson—"  
"Huh?" Buffy asks having blocked the news from early from her memory "Grandson—oh. Really got to start remembering that." Buffy looks away and back down at her food.  
Snow sighs sadly and turns back to Lancelot "We have to get back to them. Can you help us find a portal?"  
"Leaving is unwise." He informs them "The Enchanted Forest is not as you remember it. The ogres have returned."  
Buffy moans "Uh, I hate ogres, they were bad in Sunnyhell, I guessing they're not much better here."  
Lancelot nods in agreement "That's why we live here, on this island, where it's safe. Please, Snow. Stay here. There are no more portals left."  
"I might know of one." Snow tells them.  
"Say what?" Buffy asks confused  
"You do?" Lancelot asks equally as confused "Where?"  
Snow hesitates "Cora's near. I don't feel comfortable voicing my plans. She's powerful."  
"Not anymore." Lancelot informs her "The curse stripped her of her powers. But given her reputation, we've kept her locked up as a precaution."  
"Nevertheless, I'm not taking chances. Just trust me. I may have a way. Let us go."  
Lancelot gives the two a soft smile "I'll allow it. But on one condition...take my bravest warrior with you. Allow Mulan to defend you."  
"We can defend ourselves." Buffy argues.  
"Deal." Snow says, Buffy turns to her stunned "Thank you, Lancelot. For always looking out for me."

* * *

Buffy and Snow watch as Mulan opens the weapons chest "Choose wisely. We must be vigilant if we hope to survive the journey."  
Buffy reaches into the box and pulls out a knife set placing them in the Knife Sheath attached to her thigh. She then turns to Mulan "Where's my Scythe? I want it back."  
Mulan turns around and walks over to a separate box and pulls out the Scythe "I have never seen a weapon like this before, it is an interesting weapon. You must be a great warrior yourself to weld something like this."  
Buffy smiles as she takes the Scythe "Thanks."

While Snow takes a bow and arrow set out of the box Mulan continues with her rules "Follow my lead, step where I step, do exactly as I say, and we might survive."  
Buffy shrugs "Thanks for that inspirations pep speech, but I think we're good. Hell I killed a dragon last week. And I have spent that past ten year battling demons, hell gods and monsters from hell."  
"Have you ever seen an ogre?"  
Buffy nods "Actually yes, killed a couple bout 2 years before Henry showed up on my door step. Plus I'm pretty sure I dated at few."  
Mulan looks at her stunned as does Mary Margaret, Buffy shrugs "What? Some bitch witch locked me in a demon fighting ring, and there happened to be a couple ogres who got caught up in the mess."  
Mulan stares at the blonde rather impressed before starting to walk "Let's walk." She orders them.

As they turns to follow Mulan, Snow turns to Buffy "Don't let her rattle you."  
Buffy chuckles "Yeah. Not of the rattled here. Trust me I can handle her, if I can handle my ex turning into a psycho, I can handle her."  
Mary Margaret nods, worried by the more she learnt about her daughter's past "I won't let anything happen to us. Stick to the plan."  
Buffy nods "Yeah about said plan. I'm still on the out with that I mean come on what's the plan."  
"The wardrobe."  
Buffy looks at Snow confused "Wardrobe? Wait what? Does this have something to do with the end of Henry's book, because Henry never let me see it."  
"The wardrobe that we used to send you to this world."  
Buffy's eyes widen "So your saying I travelled through a wardrobe, does that make my world Narnia then?" Buffy pauses "So you think it could get us back to Storybrooke?"  
"I don't know. First we have to see if it survived the curse then we'll worry about making it work."  
Buffy nods "So where is this mystical Narnia wardrobe?"  
"My place. You wanna see where you're from, Buffy? That's right, we're going home."

* * *

"This will do." Mulan says as she comes to a stop "We'll make camp here for the night. We just need to find water, collect some firewood."  
Buffy nods, she looks up at the trees then back at Mulan "Might be a good idea to get up high, check exactly how safe this place is."  
Mulan looks at her confused "And how are we supposed to do that?"  
Buffy smirks "I can do that." Buffy quickly takes a few steps back before running at the tree she grabs onto one of the branches and flips herself up. Once she was standing in the tree she looks down at the two of "You guys get firewood and water. I'll make sure we're good. A higher view will give me a lay of the land."  
Mulan smiles "Impressive. I will retrieve the water."  
As Mulan heads into the forest Snow looks up at her daughter "I guess that means I'm on firewood duty." Snow watches Buffy as she continues to climb up the tree, before following Mulan into the forest.

* * *

Buffy runs towards Mulan, Snow and Aurora who Buffy was slightly stunned to see "We have to move now!" Buffy yells. "Buffy what is it?" Snow asks.  
"Ogres! Run!" Buffy yells  
"Aurora. This way." Mulan says as she pulls the brunette to her feet running in the opposite direction to Buffy and Snow. "Over there." Snow says before running into the forest. As they run Buffy trips "Dammit." She's quickly back on her feet and turns to face the Ogre now standing above her. The ogre tries to squish her with it's hand but Buffy blocked his arm using all of her strength to push his hand away. She quickly pulls the scythe off her back and cuts off it's hand. It tries to swing at her with it's opposite arm but Buffy ducks and rolls away "I hate Ogres." Buffy mutters.

Buffy was about the swing the scythe again when a voice stops her "Back away from my daughter!"  
Buffy turns to see Snow pull out an arrow and aims it at the Ogre's eyes. Once the Ogre falls dead Buffy walks over "The eye huh? That's a lot easier than slicing and dicing. So when was the last time you shot an arrow, cause—damn."  
Snow shrugs "26 years ago. Guess it's like riding a bike."  
The two stand there for a moment before Snow turns to Buffy "We should get going."  
Buffy nods "A world of yes." Snow smiles at her daughter and the two of them then head off.

* * *

"We're getting close." Snow says as the four of them continue to go through the woods.  
Mulan calls back to Aurora, who is beginning to fall behind "Aurora, you've gotta keep up."  
"Sorry" The princess responds "But I'm not exactly dressed for the woods. It's cold out here."  
"Then maybe you should've listened to me and stayed back."  
Buffy takes off her leather jacket and holds it out to the princess "Here."  
Aurora looks at the slayer confused "But I tried to kill your friend."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, as of about 48 hours ago I learnt she's my birth mother. Plus I have a feeling she can take care of herself."  
Buffy walks over to try and catch up with Mulan and Snow while Aurora looks at the jacket confused "What kind of corset is this?"  
"Up here!" Mulan yells to the group.  
Buffy heads up to the small hill where Mulan and Snow are now standing staring at the castle "Is that it?"  
Snow nods "Yeah. That's our home."

* * *

Buffy, Mulan and Aurora follow Snow into a complete burnt room filled with destroyed toys. "Oh, my god." Buffy breaths as she enters the room "I recognise this from Henry's book. From the pages he hadn't destroyed with his pen, to keep the little secret." Buffy says as she walks over to the wardrobe "I just didn't know it's how I was—you know." As Buffy and Snow walk around the room Mulan turns to Aurora "Come. We'll stand watch at the gate."  
As they leave, Buffy walks onto the balcony and looks over the land.

As she does Snow picks up one of the stuffed animals off the floor "I never thought I'd see this place again. This room. It was your nursery."  
Buffy walks over to the woman "Seriously, this room is bigger than my apartment in Boston. And you're telling me I lived here?"  
"You never even got to spend a night. This is the life I wanted you to have. I was going to teach you how to walk in here, how to talk, how to dress for your first ball. You never got to do any of it. We never got to be a family."  
Buffy sighs and put on her jacket "I had a family. And now we have one—in Storybrooke. And right now we need to focus on getting back." Buffy pauses "Plus I need to figure out how to explain to my sister, that I was adopted. Oh that's gonna be fun." Buffy says sarcastically before turning to the wardrobe "So...how do with get this mystical all mighty travel unit going?"

Snow opens the wardrobe and Buffy pokes her head inside "So the on switch is where?"  
Snow shakes her head "It's more complicated than that. We'll have to get it back to the island. Hopefully, someone there has access to enough magic to make it work again."  
Buffy sighs "Your gonna make me do the heavy lifting aren't you." Snow smirks causing Buffy to moan "I sometimes hate having super strength."  
"Well, why not try using the help of an old friend instead of using your daughter as a butler."  
"Lancelot." Snow says surprised "What are you doing here?"  
"We heard about the ogre attack, I came to make sure you were alright."  
"Oh. Where are Mulan and Aurora?"  
"I sent them to find food. Tonight we'll make camp, and in the morning, we'll head back."

As the two old friends spoke Buffy listens with interest, she couldn't help but get the feeling that there was something very off about Lancelot. Buffy clutches the Scythe in her hands as she listens to Lancelot "So..." He says staring at the wardrobe "This is it—the portal you were after."  
"The same one Buffy went through." Snow tells him "It's how she escaped the curse."  
"Remarkable."  
"Geppetto carved it from an enchanted tree, but...there's no magic left."  
Lancelot smiles "A portal this powerful...there must be another way to recharge it." As Buffy listens she starts to become more suspicious of the knight, so as the two friends talk Buffy silently moves around the room so that she was standing closer to Lancelot, prepared for an attack, just in case.  
Snow watches Buffy knowing she senses the same odd feeling about Lancelot; Snow then turns to her friend "Why are you so interested in the wardrobe?"  
"Well, I just want you to get home to your husband and your grandson, Henry. They must miss you."

The moment the words leaves Lancelot's mouth Buffy steps up behind him and kicks the back of his knees forcing him to the ground, she then grabs him and holds the blade of the Scythe against his neck "You slipped up, man. It's a shame too, you were doing so well."  
As Buffy holds him Snow grabs his sword and points it at his chest. Snow looks up at Buffy "There is only one person you told Henry's name."  
Buffy smirks "The bitch from the hole."  
Suddenly Lancelot morphs into Cora "Clever girls." Cora looks up at Buffy "You know, I expected that from Snow but you, you have power, I can feel it."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I preferred you the other way. At least Lancelot was a hottie."  
Snow glares at Cora "Where's Lancelot?"  
Cora smirks "He's dead. I killed him a long time ago."  
Buffy moves the blade on Cora neck slightly so she can look down at the woman "And you've been what, playing dress up in his skin?"  
"Well, they'd never listen to me. And besides, every kingdom needs a hero, don't you think?"  
Suddenly a rug wraps around Buffy and pulls her away from Cora, while Cora stands she uses her magic to pin Snow to the wall. Cora looks over at Buffy who was still clutching the scythe "Interesting weapon, powerful, much like you. I can feel the darkness in it."  
"Bite me." Buffy spits out as the rug wraps itself tighter around her ribs.  
Cora walks over to Snow "Thank you, Snow. I've been looking for a way over for so long. I never thought the person to help me fond it...would be you."  
"Why?" Snow asks in a strained voice "What are you doing this?"

While the two talks Buffy pulls out some of the left over bullets she had in her jacket, which she had forgotten to take out after her last shift at the station. "Thank you Spike." Buffy whispers as she remembers one of the conversations they had when they were drinking, where he told her an easy way to start a fire with a bullet.  
As Buffy works, Cora continues to talk to Snow "I want to see my daughter. It's been too long. And you know, I would love to meet my Grandson Henry."  
Once Buffy set fire to the tree she rips apart the rest of the rug and silently makes her way towards the two "You can forget about that fantasy." Buffy says to Cora before punching the woman in the face. Cora flies across the room and smashes into the door. Cora struggles to stand and as she does, she looks over at the burning wardrobe "No!" She screams, she raises her hand using her magic to send Buffy crashing to the floor, she then aims a fireball at the slayer however before it can hit her Mulan dives in front of Buffy, using her sword to deflect the magic.  
Cora looks around and glares at the women "We're not done." She says before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Once Aurora helps Buffy stand, the slayer goes over to Snow "You okay?"  
Snow nods "You saved me."  
Buffy nods "Part of the job description. So let me guess the wicked witch of the west is gone and poof?"  
Snow nods "Yeah. She's gone for now."  
Buffy turns to the wardrobe "And it looks like the same for our shuttle home."

"Lancelot was one of the most noble knights I ever knew." Snow says as she stares at the remains of the wardrobe.  
Mulan paces in frustration "How could I be so blind? How could I not see that it was Cora?"  
Buffy shrugs "Because she's a manipulative bitch. But a smart manipulative bitch."  
"What are we going to tell the people on the island?"  
Snow turns to Mulan "The truth—that Lancelot was cut down by a terrible villain. He died an honourable death."  
"Cora's still out there. We need to find her. We need to defend what's left of the kingdom."  
"Who's going to lead us?" Aurora asks "You?"  
Mulan shakes her head "No. Her." She says turning to Snow.  
Snow looks at the warrior stunned "I'm honoured, but Buffy and I still have to find a way back to Storybrooke."  
"We'll help you. We'll find a way, won't we?"  
Aurora nods in agreement "Yes. Perhaps it'll help me channel my anger."  
Mulan gives Snow a smile before turning back to Aurora "Come." She says and the two of them leave the room.

As they leave, Buffy turns to Snow "I'm sorry I went all fire happy on our ride home. I couldn't let her get to Henry. I just-"  
Snow interjects "You had to put Henry first."  
Buffy nods, she was about to head for the door but quickly turns back to Snow, her voice breaking as she talks "I'm gonna say this before I lose my nerve and go back to being anti-emotion Buffy... Everything I have ever known has been a lie, a lie the powers forced me and my family to believe. For the past 26 years I thought my mom, was my mom. And now I find out that your my—and I don't know how to process this because, my mom was everything to me and now all I can think about is the fact that she didn't have a choice in raising me—I can't help but question everything now, my entire childhood. If I had learned that you hadn't wanted me it would be easier, but then just seeing all this...you gave up everything for me. And you're still doing it. And I—sorry I suck as this mushy stuff...I can't help it, I can't think of you as my mom, because to me, my mom was Joyce Summers, a woman who sacrificed so much for me, and when I try to see you as my mom...all I feel is guilt, cause I feel like if I even admit it for a second, I'll be letting a part of my mom go. And I—I..."  
Before Buffy can have a complete break down Snow wraps her arms around the younger woman "Hey, it's ok. I understand that you're not ready and that you need time. But know this I'm not going to leave you."  
Buffy pulls away and Snow wipes the tears from Buffy's eyes, Buffy chuckles before quickly exiting the room. Snow watches for a moment as Buffy leaves then turns back to look at the destroyed nursery, Snow holds back tears as she imagines the life they were supposed to have. She closes her eyes blinking back the tears, after a moment she turns and exits the nursery, closing the door behind her.


	30. The Crocodile

**4 years ago: Tallahassee**

Buffy steps off the plane and hands security her passport "I hope you had a pleasant flight Miss. Swan."  
Buffy hesitates for a second before she gave the man a smile "Yes, thank you."  
Buffy takes her passport and sighs, she is really going to have to get used to her new name.

For the first few days Buffy stays in a local hotel until she is able to find a small apartment, she gets a job as a waitress at a local bar. Things were good, yes there was still the occasional demon and vampire, but it was no apocalypse.

After 2 years of living in Tallahassee, Buffy is finally feeling at home. But one day after work Buffy is walking along one of the beaches when she notices something. She picks up the small piece of paper only to see a small map of California. The moment she sees it she remembers something, "Why don't I tell you over drinks?" "Tallahassee out, I got to go the Canada." A voice says in Buffy's head as she begins the remember . Buffy forces the memory back down and crumbles the map in her hand. She throws the paper into the ocean and then runs back to her apartment, where she starts to pack her things "I can't believe I forgot." Buffy breathes, she had blocked most of those memories from her head years ago, Buffy knew if she had remembered that this was where they were planning to come she never would have come here. Buffy grabs her bags and heads for the door, leaving Tallahassee.

* * *

 **Present Day: Cleveland**

"Whistler! Whistler! Where the hell are you! I want to know the truth about my sister!" Dawn yells at the skies, as she stands in the magical summoning circle she created in hopes of bringing the demon Whistler to her.  
"Whistler!" Dawn screams again and again.  
"Damn kid, you're loud."  
Dawn spins around to see Whistler, currently rummaging through her fridge "God, it's about time, I have been calling you for over an hour."  
Whistler chuckles "Well, the world doesn't revolve around you and your life. I had work to do, which I still have to do so you got two minutes. What do you want?"  
Dawn glares at the man "I want the truth about my sister. Now!"  
Whistler rolls his eyes "Sorry kid. That's not up to me. If you wanna know the truth, you will have to talk to big sis."  
"I have tried!" Dawn exclaims "I have called and called, but she's not answering."  
Whistler sighs and closes his eyes for a few moments trying to see if he can see the slayer. Whistler shakes his head "Dammit, sorry kid. Your sister sort of—out of town at the moment. Look, when she gets back I'll get her to give you a call."  
Dawn glares at the demon angrily "I have a better idea. Why don't you just tell me where she is."  
Whistler chuckles "Sorry, no can do. Bye bye, thanks for the drink." Whistler grabs the bottle of bourbon off the counter before disappearing. Dawn, stares at the now empty kitchen before screaming in frustration and throwing her glass at the wall.

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest:**

Cora walks down the beach towards Hook who is currently watching the Island "Hello, Hook."  
Hook turns to the woman "Hello, Cora. You tell me it's something important you needed to show me."  
Cora pulls out the glass container with the wardrobe ashes inside, Hook looks at the glass confused "Sparkly dirt. Wonderful."  
"Just the remains of a magical wardrobe that can travel between worlds."  
Hook turns to her intrigued "Is it enough to get us where we need to go?"  
"Not quite, but it's a start."  
"We're almost ready to set sail. What's our port of destination?"  
"Storybrooke."  
Hook smiles "Curious name. Is that where—"  
"She is. And so is he."  
"Excellent. You'll be able to see your daughter, and I'll be able to skin myself a crocodile."

Cora smiles "There is one more thing, one of the women who came from that land, the blonde, She's different, stronger. You will need to watch her carefully, she may be harder to fool than the others."  
Hook turns to her confused "Stronger, what in the bloody hell does that mean?"  
"It is easier if a show up." Cora raises her hand and suddenly a projection of Buffy appears. Hook watches with interest as images appear of Buffy punching Cora across the room while clutching onto a red axe.  
"Interesting." Hook says as Cora ends the spell.  
"Yes, however I have no idea what she is, I don't know how much power she has, so be cautious."


	31. The Doctor

**The Doctor**

* * *

"I don't know if I can do this." Aurora says as the four of them make their way back to the island "I'm not a very good liar."  
Snow turns to the princess "It's not really a lie, Aurora. Lancelot did die an honourable death, Cora did escape. All true."  
"Just leave the details to us." Buffy adds "Trust me, panic is the last thing you want between your people."  
"I don't think—" Aurora tries to argue but is cut off by Mulan. "Wait. The tower, we always have sentries guarding the entrance." Mulan grabs her sword, while Buffy grabs the Scythe "Stay close." Mulan orders them before slowly making her way into the camp. The three women follow Mulan into the camp, only to discover everyone dead. "Holy crap on a cracker." Buffy breaths as she stares down at the bodies.

As they walk around the destroyed village Buffy sighs and turns to Snow, who had been talking to Mulan "The hearts. They remind me of this Spider demon thing, that tried to make mine it's meal that one time."  
Mulan looks around confused "How did the ogres find us?"  
Snow shakes her head "No, Buffy's right. Not about the demons, but about the hearts. Ogres didn't do this. Cora did. Their hearts were ripped out. This is her magic, twisted and evil. We have to stop her."  
"Too late." Mulan says as she stares of the remains of her friends. "She killed them all."  
"Well, before she hurts anyone else."  
As the two argue Buffy hears something, she makes her way over to a pile of bodies where she sees someone moving "Hey!" she calls to everyone as she makes her way over.  
Aurora also notices the person and runs over "There's someone under there. He's alive."  
As Buffy pulls the bodies off the man she hears him speak "Please." He begs "Please help me."  
Snow looks down at the man with a smile "It's okay. Your safe now. We won't hurt you." She assures him.

* * *

Buffy watches the man as he sits at the wooden table. Buffy turns to Mulan "You seen him before."  
Mulan nods "Seen him around he's a blacksmith, came to our camp a couple months ago. Said he lost his hand in an Ogre attack."  
Buffy watches the man suspiciously "Here's my question, what type of smart crazy witch bitch leaves a survivor, when she's on a rampage. Doesn't make sense."  
"You think he's lying."  
Buffy shrugs "I know Cora's tricked us before. If he's lying, let's just say I've picked up a few things over the years that will make him squeal like a little girl if he doesn't cooperate."  
Buffy walks over to the man and hands him a cup of water "Here ya go."  
The man smiles at her "I can't thank you enough for your kindness. Fortune, it seems, has seen fit to show me favour."  
Buffy looks down at the man "So an island fill of dead bodies. And your the only one left with your heart, how did that happen?"  
"She attacked at night, slaughtered everyone in one fell swoop. When she started ripping out people's hearts, I hid under the bodies of those who already been killed. Pretended to be dead myself. Mercifully, the ruse worked."  
Buffy continues to watch him intently "And here I thought that fortune was supposed to favour the brave, but I tend to mess up those little details."  
"It was all I could do to survive."  
Buffy leans in closer to him and gives him a small smile "You know I'm gonna tell you a little secret. I have a special set of skills one of which let's me know when someone is lying to me."  
"I'm telling you the truth."  
Buffy smiles and Mulan speaks up "We should leave here, In case Cora decides to come back."  
Snow turns to Mulan "We should start searching for a new portal back to Storybrooke. I only got about five minutes with my husband. Not to mention, my grandson."  
The man chuckles "You have a grandson?"  
"Long story."  
The man smiles not noticing Buffy now standing behind him "Well, I know this land well. I can guide you." Buffy slams his head down on the table, holding it against the wood. She slams her knife into the wood right by his eyes "Yep, not doing the guiding thing till we get some answers."

* * *

"I already told you. I'm just a blacksmith" The man begs as Mulan finishes tying him to the tree  
Buffy scoffs "Yeah and I'm Xena." Buffy then turns towards the forest and whistles loudly. Once she can hear the ogres growling in the distance Buffy turns back to the prisoner, "So you don't want to talk? Fine. As much as I would love to be the one that gets the info out of the pretty little mouth of yours, seems I have just summoned a load of ogres. Opps, of well I guess you can talk to them, as they rip you apart limb from limb just for fun."  
Once they hear the growling again Buffy turns to the other women "Come on." She says.  
"You—you can't just leave me here like this!" The man yells.  
Buffy shrugs "Not the first time I've done something like this so, bye-bye." Buffy starts to walk off as Aurora speaks to her "What if he's telling the truth?"  
"He's not." Buffy says as she continues to walk.

A moment later Buffy hears the man chucking "Good for you!" Buffy stops "You bested me. I can count the amount of people who've done that on one hand." Buffy smirks and walks towards him "Is that your version of a joke? 'Cause it could use some work." As she comes to stand next to him she looks up at him "Now why don't you tell me who you are, before I start to get testy."  
The man sighs "Killian Jones, but most people have taken to call me by my more colourful moniker—Hook."  
"Hook." Snow breaths shocked.  
Hook turns to her "Check my satchel."  
Buffy looks at Hook with a raised eyebrow "You mean your purse?"  
When Hook glares at her, Buffy chuckles "Captain Hook, your kidding right?"  
Hook turns to Buffy a smile on his face "Ah, so you've heard of me."  
Buffy smirks "Trust me if you knew how, I don't think you'd be smiling right now."

A moment later the ogre's growl gets louder, Buffy turns to the worried Hook "Well, would you look at that, they're getting closer. My guess they're hungry. So unless you want to be served on a plater, you better start with the chit-chat."  
Hook chuckles "Cora warned me about you, told me you were stronger than the others." Hook pauses "Cora wanted me to gain your trust so I could learn everything there is to know about your Storybrooke. She didn't want any surprises when she finally got over there. And after meeting you she got a bit more curious."  
"She can't get there." Snow told him "We destroyed the wardrobe."  
"Ah, but the enchantment remains. Cora gathered the ashes. She's gonna use them to open up a portal. Now if you'll kindly cut me lose."  
"No." Mulan says "We should leave him here to die to pay for all lives that he took."  
Hook glares at the warrior "That was Cora, not me."  
Buffy watches him carefully before backing away "Let's move."  
"Wait. Wait!" Hook screams "You need me alive."  
Buffy sighs and turns to face him "Is there a reason for that?"  
"Because we both want the same thing—to get back to your land."  
Buffy steps closer to him "I've meet men like you before, and they will do or say anything to save their own ass. Why in the hell would I believe you now?"  
"I arranged for transport with Cora, but seeing how resourceful you are, I'll offer you the same deal—I'll help you if you promise to take me along."  
"How are you going to help us get home?" Snow asks.  
"The ashes will open a portal, but to find your land, she needs more. There's an enchanted compass. Cora seeks it. I'll help you obtain it, before she does."  
Buffy turns to the pirate "So Cora won't be all 'ladida' on the way to Storybrooke and we will be a step closer to getting home." Buffy turns to Snow.  
"Sounds to good to be true."  
"There's only one way to find out." Hook says urgently, as the ogres get closer.  
Buffy grabs the knife out of the sheave on her thigh and holds it against his neck. "Now in the past I've learnt it's not a good idea to do business with men with british accents who wear eye liner, so you tell me one thing—and trust me I better believe it—why does Captain Hook want to go to Storybrooke?"  
Hook turns to Buffy "To exact revenge on the man who took my hand—Rumplestiltskin."

* * *

"Up ahead." Hook says as he leads them through the forest "We'll find the compass just over the ridge."  
Snow turns to Buffy "Do you get the feeling he's leading us exactly where Cora wants us, that this whole thing's a trap?"  
Buffy nods "Definitely. I've been enough traps and set enough of my own to smell one from a mile away. But from experience if we know they're trying to play us, we can—"  
Snow interjects "Stay one step ahead of them."  
"Yep."  
Buffy steps over the ridge and stands next to Hook "Let me guess. That's our ride to the compass?" Buffy asks gesturing to the giant beanstalk miles away.  
Hook nods "Oh, yeah."  
"So how do you suggest we get to, said compass?"  
"It's not the climb you need to worry about. It's the giant on the top."  
Buffy sighs "Why did it have to be giants?"

* * *

A little while later Mulan turns to the group "We should stop. Rest for a while, there is still a long way to go and we will need our strength."  
Hook smirks "Excellent idea."  
Buffy rolls her eyes as Mulan turns to Snow "Aurora and I will go get supplies. I suggest Buffy stays with the prisoner."  
Snow nods "I agree, I'll stay as well, start a fire."

As Aurora and Mulan head into the forest Snow goes to gather firewood. While the other three work Buffy sits down on the ground opposite Hook and begins to clean the Scythe. Hook watches her intently "I'm curious, love, Cora showed me what happened during your little spat, how did you throw her across a room so easily."  
Buffy looks up from the blade "First, don't call me love. Already had to deal with one guys calling me that for years, still not a fan of being called that. And secondly, that's none of your concern."  
Hook chuckles "So how strong are you then?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes, she walks over to a tree stump and rips it from the ground and throws it 20 feet away. "Let's just say, that's only a portion of what I'm capable of."  
Buffy sit back down and continues to clean the scythe as well as the knifes.

As Hook sleeps, Snow comes back and starts a fire.  
Snow watches as Buffy play with the chain that the demon Whistler had given her "What is that?" Snow asks curious.  
Buffy shrugs "It's nothing." Buffy says letting go of the ring hanging on the chain.  
Snow decides to push "That Whistler guy said something, about a guy named Angel. Who is he?"  
Buffy sighs "Mary Margaret, now is not the time."  
Snow turns to her daughter "I'm just curious, I don't know a lot about your past and some of the things that Whistler said. They have me worried."  
Buffy takes a deep breath. She shakes her head knowing that Snow has the right to know these things. "What do you want to know?"  
Snow sits down deciding to start with the hardest thing "Did you really die?"

Hook who has been pretending to sleep was peaked with interest now and listens carefully.  
Buffy looks down at Snow "Yes. The first time, was when I was 16." Snow gasps tears filling her eyes but Buffy goes on "There was a prophecy saying that I would go to face a master vampire and that I would die. I tried to run, but I knew I couldn't risk the Hellmouth opening so I went down into the Hellmouth. He drank from me then left me to drown. I was only gone for like a minute, but it changed me."  
Snow nods sadly then a thought occurs to her "Wait, did you say the first time?"  
Buffy smiles "You caught that huh? Um, actually I've died twice...well three times if you count the time I flatlined in the hospital after getting shot." Buffy stops talking momentarily seeing the broken hearted look on Snow's face "Um, anyway. The second time, there was a Hell God known as Glorificas. My sister Dawn, she was the key to opening this portal thingy. In order to close the portal, Dawn had to die but—I couldn't let her so...I jumped into the energy in her place. I was dead for 147 days."  
Snow drops the wood out of her hands "Ho—how?"  
Buffy looks down at the ground "Willow, she did a spell. And next thing you know poof Buffy. I mean not exactly poof, first I had to claw my way out of my own grave and fight off a hoard of monsters."  
Snow fells a tear fall down her check "You had to claw your way out of your own grave?"  
Buffy looks up at her mother "Yeah... Look can we talk about something else. That's a subject I don't like to think about."

Snow nods in understanding wiping her eyes "So, who is Angel? He's not Henry's father is he?"  
Buffy unexpectedly burst out into laughter "No, no. Angel was not Henry's father. Angel I meet when I moved to Sunnydale. Our relationship was very complicated, with all the death and the violence hell the highlight of our relationship was either when I killed him or when he broke up with me."  
Snow starts to cough stunned, while Hook becomes more intrigued "You killed him? I don't understand."  
Buffy sighs "There was this thing—something happened and Angel kinda went evil and started killing people. Hell he even tried to end the world. He preformed a ritual which would drag the world into the hell, but the only way to stop it was for him to die. After our battle I was about to take him out, when something went through him. And he was Angel again. But it was too late and I had to, I killed him."  
Snow looks at her daughter sadly "Buffy, I'm so sorry."  
Buffy shrugs "After he came back..." Buffy noticed Snow's stunned reaction "..Oh, yeah. He came back. Anyway things between us were never the same. Long story short he left town."  
"Buffy—"  
Buffy cuts her off "No it's fine. It was a long time ago. He was actually the one who helped me become Emma Swan, him and Faith."  
"What happened to him?"  
Buffy looks away again "He's gone." She says as she stands "Come on, we should get going. You get the girls, I'll get the pirate."


	32. Tallahassee

**Tallahassee**

* * *

"You know, isn't this thing supposed to be all shiny and magical, not look like a leadway up to hell." Buffy says as she stares at the beanstalk.  
"Reminds me of death." Mulan comments.  
Snow sighs at the comment "Encouraging."  
"Well, your compass awaits. Shall we?" Hook says to them, as he continues to walk towards the compass.  
Buffy turns to Hook "Look I'm not the biggest fan of portal travel, but if these beans can make one to take us home, I'll make an exception. So why not just pick one and head on home. What's the gest with the compass?"  
"Because there aren't any more beans." Hook tells the slayer "Whatever story you think you know my dear is most certainly wrong."  
"There was a guy named Jack, a cow, an egg and...oh yeah a golden goose –or was it harp, I always forget that little detail."  
As the group comes to a stop Hook turns to Buffy and smiles "Sounds like a lovely tale, but the truth's a little bit more gruesome. The giants grew the beans but rather than use them for good, they used them to plunder all the lands. Jack was a man who fought a terrible war, defeating all but one of the evil giants. The beans were destroyed by the giants as they died. If they couldn't have their magic, then noone could. It's very bad form."  
Buffy turns to the pirate "Let me guess there's more to this tale."  
"Your a smart one. One giant survived—the strongest and most terrible of them all. And we'll have to get past him to—"  
"The magic compass." Snow finishes.  
"Indeed. The treasure remains, and amongst it is the compass. Now it will guide us to your land. Cora has the means to open a portal with the wardrobe ashes, but she can't find your land without the compass. Once we get it, steal the ashes from her, and we're on our way."  
Mulan glares at Hook suspiciously "How do we know you're not just using us, to get the compass for Cora?"  
"Because you four are far safer company. All I need is a ride back. I'll swear allegiance to whomever gets me there first."  
Buffy steps towards the beanstalk "So lets get with the climbety climb climb."  
Hook chuckles "Right. So...I failed to mention that the giant enchanted the beanstalk to repel introducers."  
Buffy glares at him "All right, then how exactly are we supposed to get up there?"  
"I've got a counter spell from Cora, if you's be so kind." Hook says gesturing to his still tied wrists.  
Snow walks over with Buffy and unties him. As Snow does Hook winks at her "Thank you, my lady." Hook smiles before talking off his robe to reveal the leather outfit underneath, he raises his wrist to show a leather cuff "I've got one more of these. Cora was to accoumpany me. So...which one of you four lovelies shall take her place? Hmm? Go on. Fight it out. Don't be afraid to, you know, really get into it."

* * *

 **Portland, Oregon – 11 Years Ago**

Buffy runs through one of the back alleyways hoping to avoid the cops, who had been chasing her after finding her stealing from a convenient store. "Stupid aunt, Minnie. Kicking me out the house. Stupid parents for shipping me off so they can continue to fight and scream at each other." Buffy remarks as she continues to run. When she comes to the end of the road she sees a blue 1967 Mustang, she dives behind the car, waiting as the cops run in the opposite direction. Once there out of sight Buffy takes a relived breath. She waits a few more moments before slowly standing, she turns to the car and sighs "Well, guess it's time to learn how to drive." Buffy slowly pulls out the coathanger from her back and feeds it through the window. After a seconds she unlocks the door and climbs inside. She grabs the rock and the screwdriver from her bag and forces the screwdriver into the ignition switch. Once the car engine comes to life Buffy steps on the pedals trying figure out what does what. Once she knows what to do she puts the car into drive and goes.

"Impressive." A voice says from the backseat, Buffy screams, "But really, you could've just asked me for the keys."  
Buffy begins the panic, "Just drive, it's fine." The man says.  
Buffy gives him an odd look "I just stole your car, I could be an axe murderer for all you know."  
The man smiles "Neal Cassidy."  
Buffy scoffs "Yeah, I will be telling you my name a quarter after never."  
"No, I don't need it to have you arrested when the robbery's in progress. Plus I saw cops chasing you which means your already in trouble."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Buffy. Summers."  
"Seriously, Buffy?" When Buffy gives him a hard look he raises a hand in surrender "Don't worry it suits you."  
Buffy sighs "So what do you live in here or if this your version of a caravan holiday?"  
Neal smirks "Why don't I tell you over drinks?"  
Buffy looks away from the road to face Neal completely stunned "Excuse me?"  
"Hey. Eyes on the road." Neal says as Buffy drives right by a stop sign.  
Buffy huffs "Crap, people are supposed to stop at those things right?"  
Neal laughs "So answer my question."  
"I am not having drinks with you. You might be a pervert."  
"I might be a pervert, but you're definitely a car thief, and one who obviously doesn't know how to drive. Point in case you checking which pedal did what earlier."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I said I was sorry bout the stealing thing."  
"You didn't, actually."

Before Buffy can say anything to two of them hear a siren Neal groans "That's why I said, eyes on the road."  
Buffy frowns and pulls the car over "Screwdriver" Neal says as he leans forward swapping the screwdriver with the keys.  
"License and Registration." A policeman asks as he walks over to the driver's window. Buffy turns to him and smiles "Hi—"  
Neal leans forward and interjects "Terribly sorry, officer, but this is actually my car. I'm—I'm trying to, uh, teach my girlfriend how to drive stick."  
"She's got a lot to learn." The policeman comments.  
Neal nods in agreement "I know. But, you know...women."  
Buffy glares at him but Neal just continues to smile. A moment later the cop nods "Alright, I hear you. It's a warning...this time."  
"Yeah. Thank you so much." Neal says as the policeman moves away.  
As Neal climbs into the front seat, Buffy stares at him confused "Are you some sort of misogynist? Or are you still just pissy cause a short blonde girl stole your car?"  
"You're welcome. Oh, go. We got lucky."  
"We?" Buffy asks still confused "This isn't your car either, is it?"  
"Hmm?" Neal asks innocently  
Buffy smirks "I stole a stolen car."  
"Now how about that drink?"

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest – Present Day**

"All due respect, I'm the best-equipped to go." Mulan argues as her and Snow discuss who should climb the beanstalk, "How many wars have you been through?"  
"My share." Snow replies.  
Aurora interjects "It should be me."  
Mulan, turns to the princess "You? You haven't fought in a battle."  
"This is about us getting home to our loved ones." Snow tells her "Why would you—"  
"Because I have no loved one." Aurora exclaims "If I fail you can still go on."  
Buffy steps over to the women "Okay enough with the morbidness. I'm going."  
Snow shakes her head "You're new here."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "True, but I adapt quickly as you have seen. I can take anything thrown at me. And if the amount of battles if a category for going, I win. Hello eight apocalypses and wars and that's not even including the thousands of patrols over the years." Buffy sighs "This is about getting back to Henry. I don't care what I have to face. You're not going to argue with me?" Buffy asks when she sees the expression on Snow's face.  
Snow chuckles "We all know that we can't stop you anyway. But would it do any good?"  
"A world of no."  
When Snow nods Buffy turns to Mulan "You got anything in that bag of tricks that will help me out with a giant without getting blood on my clothing."  
"A hook."  
"Hey." Hook calls from his spot by the beanstalk.  
Mulan glares at him before turning to Buffy "Come with me." Buffy follows Mulan.  
Mulan opens her bag and pulls out a small cotton bag "This...powder made from poppies. He has to inhale it."  
Buffy nods "Your sword—how strong is it?"  
"The most powerful blade in all the realms."  
"Is it strong enough to cut down the beanstalk?"  
Mulan looks at Buffy worried "Indeed."  
"Give me ten hours. If I'm not back you get on your way but not before you cut that thing down."  
"Snow won't like that."  
Buffy gives her a soft smile "Why do you think I'm asking you. If I don't come back you go."

When Mulan nods Buffy hears Hook "Ladies. In this world, we are slaves to time. And ours is running out. In other words, ticktock."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and walks over to hook holding her hand up so he can put the cuff on her. As she does Hook smirks "I was hoping it's be you."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Get on with it, pirate boy.  
Hook takes her hand and places it on his should "Put your hand right here. That's a good girl." He says as he places the cuff on "This will allow you to climb. There are other dangers. Thankfully, you've got me to protect you."  
When Hook points to his hookless arm Buffy smirks "I can't climb one-handed, can I?"  
Buffy shrugs "You could try, I could you some sort of entertainment on the way up. Watching you almost fall every 5 secs would do me good."  
When Hook doesn't share her amusement, Buffy rolls her eyes and grabs the hook out of his satchel and hands it to him. "Don't think I'm taking my eyes off you for a second."  
As he attaches the hook he smirks "I would despair if you did."  
Buffy hands him the satchel "Move it." She says, she walks towards the beanstalk attaching the Scythe to her back as she does. Buffy looks over at Snow once more before her and Hook begin to climb.

* * *

As they climb Hook looks over at Buffy "First beanstalk?" He asks "Well, you never forget your first."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and continue to climb. "You know, most men would take your silence as off-putting, but I love a challenge." Hook says with a smirks.  
Buffy scoffs "Yeah, calm it down, pirate boy. Now if you'll excuse me I'm trying to concentrate. So shut it."  
"No, you're afraid. Afraid to talk, to reveal yourself, to trust me. Things'll be a lot smoother if you do."  
Buffy smirks "Oh cause your real big on trust. Plus I have been warned not to trust men who wear lots of leather and eyeliner."  
Hook smiles "You seem to have a thing for leather yourself love." Hook says gesturing to her leather pants "I must say it's a good look on you."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Eyes on the beanstalk pirate boy."  
"Oh. The pirate thing. Well, I don't need you to share. You're something of an open book."  
Buffy stops climbing and turns to Hook "Really? Please enlighten me with your genius." She says sarcastically.  
"Let's see. You volunteered to come up here because you were the most motivated. You need to get back to a child."  
"You do realise that there's a difference between perception and eavesdropping, right?"  
"Ah, but you don't want him to be alone like you were."  
"Was I?"  
"Like I said, open book. From what I can see you have lost everyone you've ever cared about. Either watched them die or leave."  
Buffy looks at him confused "How would you know that?"  
"I spent many years in Neverland, home of the lost boys. They all share the same look in their eyes—the look you get when you've been left alone."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, my world sure ain't Neverland, more like hell."  
"But an orphan's an orphan."  
Buffy looks back at him "Not an orphan."

Hook smiles "Don't be so sure. From what I see, you barely know the woman down there as your mother. And like you said I eavesdrop. So my guess, your father was the one who abandoned you, and your mother...from my guess she's no longer around. Most probably since you were young."  
Buffy looks away as Hook goes on "Love has been all too rare in your life, well at least in the past few years, enough to change you. Have you ever even been in love."  
"No. I have never been in love." Buffy continues to climb "Come on old man, we ain't go all day."  
"Old? Love, have you looked at me, I can assure you I am far from old."  
Buffy laughs "Yeah, how long were you in Neverland?"  
"2 centuries at most, but as you can see I age well."  
Buffy just raises an eyebrow causing Hook to look at her curiously "You know, most people would be stunned at that, yet you, not even a flinch."  
Buffy smirks "Fine. You wanna know something about me right? Well I let you in on one of my little secrets, when I was 16 I dated a guy that was 242 year old."When Hook looks at her completely stunned and shocked Buffy laughs before continuing to climb.

* * *

 **11 Years Ago**

Neal strokes the bag currently hidden under Buffy's shirt "I think this little guy is hungry, why don't you grab whatever you want sweetie. I'll grab directions."  
Buffy giggles "I will." She says before walking into one of the shopping aisles. Buffy slowly walks around the store as Neal distracts the store owner, Buffy slowly adds food into the bag. A few minutes later Buffy hears the door open "Hey." A customer calls as he sees Neal steal a few candy bar "Hey, mister, that guy's stealing that—"  
"Oh, god!" Buffy screams and she quickly walks over to the customer "Oh, god."  
"Honey?" Neal asks.  
Buffy pants "Oh. OH. I think—I think it's time."  
"He's ready?"  
"Damn right, now hurry up!"  
The customer turns back to the owner "You didn't see him take the—"  
Buffy grabs the man "It hurts really bad!"  
"Do you guys need help? The owner asks.  
Neal shakes his head as he runs over to Buffy "No, it's fine. My car's outside."  
The two quickly run out and head for the car "Little guy saved us."  
Buffy nods in agreement "He sure did!"  
Buffy pulls the bag out of her shirt and climbs into the car. She tosses the bag to Neal who smiles "Wow. Good Haul."  
Neal turns to her and hold up a keychain "Got you a keychain."  
Buffy smiles and kisses Neal "Okay. We gotta go."

* * *

Neal and Buffy sneak into the hotel room "You wanna shower first?" Neal asks as he takes off his jacket.  
"Hey, look." Buffy says as she walks over to the dreamcatcher "It's one of those dream catcher's, their said to catch the bad dreams."  
"It's flypaper for nightmares?"  
"Yep. Think so."  
Neal smiles "Let's keep it."  
Buffy chuckles "Funny."  
"No. I'm serious. We've talked about disappearing, I know that you don't wanna go home. So why don't we get a real place."  
"Neal—we can't"  
"Why not? You could get away from your parents constant fighting and you could finish school. We've been on the road all summer maybe it's time we retire the Bonnie and Clyde act. So I think—I think it's time."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Together?"  
"Don't you want to?"  
Buffy shrugs "Where would we even go? Neverland? Plus you know what's gonna happen if I just disappear, the only reason no ones looking for me know is because my aunt doesn't want anyone to know that she's a cold hearted bitch and kicked me out."  
"We can deal with that. We'll come up with something. But I'm serious we could do this."  
"Where?"  
Deals sighs then walks over to the table picking up a map "Where? I'll tell you where. Close your eyes and point." Neal drops the map on the bed "Whatever spot you pick that's our home."  
Buffy smiles and closes her eyes once she places her hand on the map she looks at Neal "Tallahassee."  
"We got a winner."  
Buffy smiles "I could do Florida. It's near a beach."  
Neal smiles "Okay, then Tallahassee it is."  
"Are you sure? I mean this is...big are you sure you want to do this?"  
"What I want is you." Buffy smiles an then leans up and kisses him.

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest: Present Day**

Buffy and Hook finally reach the top of the beanstalk and climb off. Buffy looks around at the castle grounds to see a number of different human bones "Jeez morbid much?" She mumbles, she then turns to hook "So you wanna explain the skeletons?"  
"It's where the final battle was." Hook tells her "Give me your hand."  
Buffy turns to him confused "Huh?"  
"Your hand, it's cut let me help." Buffy looks down at her hand to see the blood  
"Oh. Don't worry about it. It's fine."  
Buffy starts to move away but he uses the hook to draw her closer "No, it's not."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Look, in my world I'm known as a slayer, increased strength and speed as well as healing are all part of the package, it will heal."  
"But until then."  
Buffy sighs "So now you're gonna be a gentleman?"  
Hook smirks "Giants can smell blood" He whispers "And I'm always a gentleman."  
Hook pulls out his flash and pores it over Buffy would, Buffy flinches slightly but doesn't do much. Hook looks at her curiously "Now, love why isn't that bothering you?"  
Buffy shrugs "You get into enough fights and you stop feeling the little things. So what is that? It smells like crap."  
"Its rum. A bloody waste of it." Hook takes off his scarf and slowly wraps it around her palm "Here's the plan. We wait for the giant to fall asleep. When he does, we'll sneak past him into his cave. It's where the treasures are, where the compass lies." Hook says as he tightens the scarf around Buffy wrist using his mouth.  
Buffy looks down at him "And what the second part of this plan?"  
"And then we run like hell."  
"Look, old man. I haven't got time to wait for a giant to take a catnap. Oh, I have an idea, use the nap time powder Mulan gave us. Knock him out."  
"Well, that's riskier."  
"Yes and waiting for a giant to fall asleep when we need him too is such a great idea."  
Hook smiles "Point taken. Ohh, you're a tough lass. You'd make a hell of a pirate." Hook says as he hands her the powder, Buffy looks down at his tattoo "Who's Milah on the tattoo?"  
Hook looks away "Someone from long ago."  
"Where is she?"  
"Gone."  
Buffy thinks for a moment "Gold. Rumplestiltskin. I'm guessing your hand wasn't all he took. That's why you want to kill him."  
"You know for a woman who claims about never being in love your quiet perceptive."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Claims?"  
Hook points at her necklace "That ring around your neck, too big for you my guess belonged to a man. So let me ask you love what happened to him?"  
Buffy walks past him "Like you said. He's gone."

* * *

 **11 years ago**

"I got donuts." Buffy say as Neal walks over to her, Buffy then looks into the bag "Okay, donut. I'm sorry but there was Jelly and Buffy like her jelly donuts."  
Neal chuckles but Buffy can see something off "Hey what gives?"  
"Nothing."  
Buffy steps in front of him "Nope. Truth what's the what."  
Neal reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of paper "This was on the wall at the post office." He hands Buffy the wanted poster "I didn't even know they did that still."  
"Where, where and how please?"  
"I was a janitor in Phoenix—this high-end jewellery place. The manager was a drunk. He would forget to lock the case to the expensive watches."  
Buffy sighs "Neal—"  
"I resisted twice. The third time, this guys asking to get took. So I-I grabbed a couple cases of watches and I hopped on a train to Portland. The store's got insurance. And anyway, I stashed 'em in a locker at the train station. They're still there. It's hardly stealing."  
Buffy sighs "From my guess there is more to this story so spill."  
"The manager may have been a drunk but the security cameras are stone sober. I thought this heat had died down, but it hasn't. I'm sorry. Tallahassee's out. I gotta go to Canada."  
Buffy shrugs "Ok, why do I have the feeling I'm not gonna like this."  
"Cause you're not, I have to go to Canada alone. If I get caught, and you're with me, you know what will happen."  
"Who said you were gonna get caught."  
"How can you say that? You think crossing the border's easy?"  
"We get fake I.D.s and passports."  
Neal shakes his head "Those cost money. We have a stolen car. Buffy, I'm not gonna have you in the seat next to me with $20, 000—"  
Neal starts to walk away but Buffy grabs him "Wait listen. I'm a tiny little blonde girl. I look completely harmless right, so why don't I just go get the watches no one is going suspect me of robbery. Then we can fence them and poof we can disappear. Right? We could go wherever the hell we want."  
Neal smiles "You want to help me get away with stealing the watches? By stealing the watches."  
Buffy smirks "See now your getting with the program."  
Neal smiles "I love you you know that."  
Buffy's eyes widen and she smiles before bringing him into a hug.

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest: Present Day**

"How exactly to you expect to get up there love?" Hook asks gesturing to the large statue.  
Buffy shrugs "There are benefits to being a slayer."  
"Ahh, this has something to do with the enhanced gifts you spoke of?" Hook says  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Yep. So you understand the plan?"  
"Absolutely. You sure you don't need a boost, love." Hook says with a smirk.  
Buffy smiles "I'm good." She says before running at the statue and flipping her body in the air to grab ahold.

Once she's at the top Hook calls out "Ready."  
"Yep." Buffy says. The moment she does hook bangs the bone on the giant's shield making a loud noise. A few seconds later the two of them here someone inside growl.  
Buffy struggles as the giant comes closer, his footsteps causing the statue to shake. Finally the giant appears and Buffy's eyes widen "That's bigger than I thought." Buffy sighs "I miss the dragon."  
"Oi!" Buffy hears Hook yell at the giant "Hey! You big git!" As Hook insults the giant the giants growls at him "Yeah, you. Huh? You wanna kill a human?" Hook says as he moves closer to the statue.  
"Huh? You want to kill a human? I'm the worst human around. Come on! Come on then!" Hook runs and the giant turns ending up facing Buffy, Buffy quickly throws the bag of powder at the giants face causing him to pass out and collapse on the ground. Buffy looks down at the ground but can't spot Hook "Hook!" She yells.  
"He's out cold." Hook says as he stands up from next to the giant "I don't mean to upset you, Buffy, but I think we make quite the team."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and flips herself down onto the ground "Let's move. I got places the be."

* * *

"They hoarded all of their greatest stolen treasures in here—" Hook tells Buffy as they make their way through the treasure room "Piles of jewels, and every room filled with coins."  
Buffy stops when she notices Hook admiring one of the coins "Seriously? Come on, I get that you like to accessorize and all, but we need to get the compass. Otherwise we're what's the term? Oh, yeah screwed."  
Hook smirks "You're an impatient one aren't you. What's your rush?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Oh, I'm sorry I'm ruining your little shopping spree but we have no idea how long that powder is gonna keep grouchy out there down."  
"Too right, lass. Come. Everything we need is right in front of us." Hook says as he walks past her. Buffy sighs "Great first love, now lass. That just makes me sound like a freaking dog." Buffy huffs before following after the pirate.

* * *

 **11 years Ago**

Buffy stands in the train station and slowly makes her way towards the lockers. she keeps her face out of view of the cops and pulls the bag out before making her way out of the station with a smirk on her face.

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest: Present Day**

Buffy looks around the unorganised treasure room and sighs "God, it's like Dawn's room. Except nothing is growing fur. So how are we going to find the compass?" Buffy asks Hook.  
"By looking. Start searching. I wonder how much treasure we could carry down the beanstalk."  
Buffy gives him a pointed look "Your really living the stereotype you know that. The only difference is you don't have a perm or a funny hat."  
Buffy stops when she sees a pile of human bones "Damn, what happened to you." Buffy says as she stares at the skeleton.  
"That...would be jack." Hook informs her.  
"Jack as in Jack Jack?"  
"The giant killer."  
Buffy looks down at the sword "I've seen better. I have better."  
"Well, it packs quite a wallop. You'd be surprised."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, I used to have one that was blessed by the original killer of a demon. It was pretty cool."  
Hook smiles "Your a curious one, lass. Your world sounds rather ...interesting."  
Hook backs up and almost walks into a trip wire but Buffy pulls him back "Whoa! Whoa!"  
Hook smirks down at her, as he wraps his arms around her "It's about bloody time."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Hands off Casanova." Buffy says before pulling away "It's a trip wire." Buffy tells him pointing down at the wire. She then points up at the ceiling "So unless you wanna be a ginny pig I suggest you be careful around the security system."  
"Well, that's a plausible excuse for grabbing me, but next time, don't stand on ceremony." Hook starts playing with her hair.  
Buffy turns away "Come on. We gotta find the compass. I don't feel like hanging out in this creepy ass lair much longer." Hook gestures for her to go first but she just smirks "You first."  
Hook smiles and gives her a nod before stepping over the trip wire.

* * *

 **11 Years Ago**

Buffy runs back to the car and climbs inside "Oh, thank God." Neal says as he pulls her in for a kiss.  
Buffy laughs and watches as Neal opens the box full of watches "Honestly I thought there would be a butt load." Buffy says.  
"Yeah, but they're super pricey. This is $20,000 easy."  
Buffy's eyes widen "20-20-20—I think I have lost all ability to speak."  
Both of them smile "Tallahassee." Buffy whispers  
Neal smiles "Listen, Buff, I'm gonna go meet the fence. I'll meet you with the money. Remember where?" Buffy nods "The parking structure by the tracks." Neal reminds her. "9:00 sharp. Just so there's no mix-ups..." Neal places one of the watches on her wrists.  
Buffy smiles "Oh, is this for little old me. 'Cause I don't think your getting back now."  
Neal smiles "Like I would take it off you. It looks perfect." Neal leans over and kisses her "Tallahassee, Baby. We're almost home." He says before climbing out of the car.

* * *

Buffy dials Neal as she waits for him at the parking structure. She frowns in confusion as the machine tells her the number has been disconnected. Buffy looks at her phone confused "What the hell? That can't be right."  
"Unless he set you up." Says a voice from behind her Buffy spins around to see a cop pointing a gun at her "Hand above your head, please, miss." He says.  
Buffy looks at him confused "Wait. Why?"  
"Possession of stolen goods. Left you holding."  
"I don't have anything."  
"Sorry to tell you, but your boy took off. Probably in Canada by now. He called in a tip, told us to take a look at the surveillance footage at the train station. Give me the watch."  
Buffy nods and quickly removes the watch "I'm a minor, I wanna talk to my mom."  
The cop nods "Alright once we get to the station. We'll call her up. But for now, you know your rights?"  
Buffy nods as the cops puts the handcuffs on her "Good girl. Turn around. Do you know where he took the rest of the watches?"  
Buffy shakes her head sadly "No. I don't. I just know they're gone."

* * *

Buffy sits down in the station as the cops talk to her parents, who had flown out to come and get her.  
"As she is a minor, we believe that Mr. Cassidy tricked her into getting the watches for him. Knowing that he would not be condemned for the crime." Buffy hears the cop say to her mom.  
Her mother nods worried "Is she going to be ok? Are you charging her with anything?"  
The cop nods "Unfortunately she was still an accomplice in a crime so we have to put it on her record, but due to her age the record will be sealed. For now, we think it's best you take her home. Keep a close eye on her. And if Mr. Cassidy tries to make contact with her contact us immediately."  
Hank and Joyce stand up "Thank you so much officer." Hank says as he shakes the policeman's hand.  
The man smiles "She's a good kid, just got caught up with the wrong people."

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest: Present Day**

"So what? It's just playing hide and seek somewhere in here?" Buffy says as her and Hook continue to search.  
"Allegedly. Give me a boost, would you, love? You're the one with extra strength, should be no problem right?"  
Buffy walks over to him and raises an eyebrow "Let me guess you don't want me to see what you're pocketing. A world of no. Look I can get up there in a sec."  
Buffy is about to jump when Hook grabs her arm "Try something new, darling—it's called trust."  
Buffy sighs "Fine. Side by side. But if I get to the top first, you have to put everything you shoved in your pockets early back."  
Hooks eyes widen "Now lass, isn't that a bit—"  
Suddenly the ground begins to shake, Buffy and Hook turn to face the door "Someone's up." Hook says.  
"Thank you Captain. Obvious."  
As the towers of treasure start to come crashing down around them Hook pulls Buffy and runs "Quickly. Get under something."  
The two of them turn to see the giant running towards them, as he runs the wall begins the give away and several pieces of the ceiling fall on Hook.  
Buffy stares shocked "Hook?" She turns back to the growling giant, who grabs her.

* * *

 **Two months after Portland**

Buffy was currently sitting on the floor in her bathroom clutching her stomach. She groans in pain and grabs her stomach again before throwing up into the toilet.  
After half an hour she finally stops being sick, she sighs and walks out of the room and grabs her purse pulling out the pregnancy test she took earlier but hid when her mother entered the room. She takes a deep breath and looks down at the positive sign. Buffy's breathing becomes panicked and she drops to the ground crying.

Buffy quickly hides when she hears her mother enter the room "Buffy, you got a letter."  
"Thank mom." Buffy calls from behind the door. As Joyce leaves the room Buffy walks out the bathroom and over to the bed where she sees an envelope. Buffy rips it open only for a set of car keys to fall into her hand as well as an address to a storage unit. 'Car's all yours.' The note says. Buffy throws the note onto the bed but then quickly has to run back to the bathroom.

After pulling herself together she heads straight to her session with Merrick "Buffy, finally. We were supposed to start your training two hours ago. Where have you been?"  
Buffy decides to cut straight to the chase "I'm pregnant."  
Merrick coughs spitting out the coffee he had been drinking and stares at the girl shocked "What? How is this possible?"  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Really? If you need me to answer that question for you, this is gonna get majorly weird."  
Merrick stands and begins to pace the room "Being pregnant as the slayer. That is not good. You will not be able to fight soon. How far along?"  
Buffy sighs "A little over two months."  
Merrick nods "Well then, we don't have many options."  
Merdick grabs his phone and puts it to his ear "Lena it's me. I need help."  
"Of course. I will be there soon."  
Merrick hangs up the phone and turns to Buffy "A friend of mine is coming here, she is going to help us."

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest: Present Day**

"Come on! Your killing my ribcage dude!" Buffy yells as the giant continues the tighten his grasp around her "Look, crazy pants I'm not what you think!"  
"Your a thief." The giant says "So yeah, I'm pretty sure you're exactly what I think."  
"Look you have a compass. I need it. Please."  
"I don't care what you need."  
"No, for my son! To save my son! Don't you have some giant family somewhere."  
"No!"  
Buffy frowns "Okay poor choice of words on my account."  
"Humans killed them all."  
As her visions starts to go blurry she bites his hand causing the giant to drop her Buffy runs and he chases her, she jumps over the trip wire grabbing Jack's sword. She waits until the giant is in the right place then brings the sword down on the wire.

Buffy walks over to the now trapped giant and points the sword at him "Awesome security system by the by."  
"No. No! No! No! No!" The giant exclaims as Buffy points the sword closer.  
Buffy looks down at the sword "I knew this toothpick wouldn't be enough on it's own. Let me guess Jack got all jolly with the poison. Anyway, you have a compass. I need it."  
The giant glares at her "You're gonna kill me either way. Go ahead. Kill me."  
Buffy sighs sadly "Why would I kill you? I mean yeah, you did just almost crush my lungs but I don't like killing."  
"Your kind massacred us and destroyed our beans."  
Buffy nods "I heard it the exact opposite way."  
"Because the victors get to tell the story." Buffy moves the sword closer, the giant flinches "Okay, here." He says sliding her the compass.  
Buffy walks over and grabs it "See? I'm not the bad guy."  
Buffy places the sword in her holster "Thank you." She says softly before starting to turn but then she sees the bean "Is that one of those portal beany things. Does it still work?"  
"Not anymore." He tell her "It was destroyed like the rest of them. I wear it as a reminder—a reminder that you're all killers."  
Buffy sighs "I was a lot like you when I was younger I thought that everything was black and white. Clean and simple but then I saw the grey area. Maybe one day you will two. Thank you for the compass." Buffy turns away and starts to walk off. Buffy freezes as she hears the giant breaking free of the trap. She turns just as he stands Buffy grabs the scythe only for the giant to reveal a hidden door way. "Go." He tells her.  
Buffy looks at him confused "Wait-what-why?"  
"Because you could've killed me and you didn't. You get one favour. Now go before I change my mind."  
Buffy shakes her head "Not to push my luck or anything but I need two favour."  
"What?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Listen grouching I have had two chances the kill you. Count en one two. So I think I'm entitled to that second favor."  
"What do you want?"

* * *

Buffy pulls the large boulder out of the way and pulls Hook out of the wreckage.  
Hook laughs "You are bloody brilliant. Amazing. May I see it?"  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "See what?"  
"Very funny, Slayer. The compass."  
Buffy pulls the compass out of her pocket and holds it in front of him. Hook gazes as the compass "It's more beautiful than legend."  
Buffy quickly puts the compass away causing Hook to chuckle "Control issues I see."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "You know. You think your so funny. Your not."  
"Come. Let's go." Hook says with a smile as he holds out his hand for Buffy to take. Buffy looks at his hand skeptically but places her palm in his own, as she does she quickly takes the chain and ties it around his wrist before backing away.

Hook looks down confused "What are you doing?" Hook stands and looks at her desperately "What are you doing?"  
Buffy looks down "Hook. I-I can't—"  
"Buffy, look at me. Have I told you a lie?"  
Buffy nods "Technically when we met you told me you were just a blacksmith."  
"But I haven't lied since. I brought you here. I risked me own safety to help you. The compass is in your hand. Why do this to me now?"  
Buffy finally looks up at him "I've been wrong about people before. I can't take that chance again. I can't risk being wrong about you. I'm sorry."  
Buffy turns away, Hook tries to follow but the chain hold him back "You're sorry? You're sorry?! I got you here! I got you the compass!"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Look I may get this may hurt your delicate male ego. But I got the compass."  
"You're just gonna leave me here to die? Is that what a slayer does, leave me to be eaten by that beast?"  
"He's not a beast. And you are not gonna die. Don't you worry your head. I just need a head start. That's all."  
Buffy turns away and hears Hook scream "Slayer! Slayer! Slayer!"

* * *

"Stop." Buffy says as she jumps down from the beanstalk only to find Snow and Mulan fighting.  
Snow turns to Buffy "Buffy." She says relieved before running to her daughter "Are you okay?"  
Buffy nods "Sure. A 20 feet jump down from a beanstalk after two earthquakes kinda reminds me of that roller coaster at Coney Island. You know why, leaves your brain a bit spinny."  
"I did what you ordered." Mulan tells her "Nothing more than that."  
Buffy nods "Thanks. I think that's the first time someones actually listened to me, without questioning if I'm going insane first."  
"Did you get it?" Mulan asks.  
"Yep." Buffy says as she holds out the compass.  
"Where's Hook?" Aurora asks having noticed the pirate's absence.  
Buffy shrugs "Let's just say he's detained, most probably gonna spend the next ten hours trying to claw his way out of the shackles. So come on. We don't have long before he follows."  
Snow looks at her confused "What? How?"  
"I called in a favour or two. Made a friend up there that agreed to babysit."

Snow then pulls Buffy to the side "You told her to cut it down?"  
Buffy nods "Yep. Look I could not risk—"  
Snow interjects "We go back together. That is the only way. Do you understand?"  
Buffy hesitates then hugs her mother "Yeah."  
Snow breaths a sigh of relief "Good. Now let's go get get that dust from Cora."  
"Yeah. And go home. I could use a shower."


	33. Child of the Moon

**Child of the moon**

* * *

 **Cleveland**

Faith hits the punching bag over and over again. She hits it so hard that it flies off the hook, and lands on the opposite side of the room. She breathes heavily before grabbing a bottle of water.  
After a moment, she grabs another bag. As she places it on the hook, Dawn enters the room "Where is she?" Dawn demands as she walks up the the slayer.  
Faith raises an eyebrow as she re-wraps her hands "Where's who kid?"  
"My sister! Where is she Faith? I know you've been talking to her. So she must have told you."  
Faith rolls her eyes "Yeah, I talked to big sis. We have a nice chat. Talked about slaying, hell even talked about her kid. But we don't have girl talk every night. I haven't talked to B in months. So back off!"

Faith hits the bag, while Dawn stares at her in disbelief "Why won't you just tell me where she is?!"  
Faith turns on Dawn "Because she doesn't want you to know! So I suggest you stop annoying every magical link you have, cause no one gives a fuck about your whining. There are bigger things your big sis has to deal with, that don't involve you."

Dawn huffs then leaves the room furious. Faith sighs she hadn't meant to blow up like that but since finding out the truth about both Buffy and Angel she had been bottling down lots of worry and grief, that was starting to bubble over.

* * *

 **San Francisco: 2 Years Ago**

Inside one of the local clubs three of the female bartenders are standing on the bar dancing and laughing. One is a red head, the other has purple hair. The shortest of the three, around 24 years old was a short blonde. It's Buffy. She laughs with her friends before jumping back behind the bar and continuing to serve the customers. "Hey, what can I get you?" Buffy asks the brunette man.  
The man turns to her and smiles "Scotch on the rock."  
Buffy nods "You got it."  
"I'm Chris."  
Buffy hands him the drink "Nice to meet you Chris."  
Buffy starts to walk away when he calls out to her "You gonna give me a name."  
Buffy chuckles "Sarah. Call me Sarah."  
The man smiles "It was nice to meet you Sarah."  
"Sarah! Come on!" One of the bartenders yell causing Buffy to head back to work.

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest: Present Day**

"Hey, what are you doing?" Buffy asks Snow, who is sitting on the ground.  
Snow looks up "Uh, just thinking."  
Buffy nods "Kay, well Mulan has some ideas for where crazy Cora may be hiding. Cause I'm guessing in this world, you don't have sewer systems, so that rules out my idea."  
Snow stands and follows Buffy, the two of them head back to the camp. As they do they hear Aurora scream "Snow! Snow!"  
Snow runs over to the princess "Hey. I'm here. It's okay. It's just another nightmare."  
Aurora shakes her head "No, this time, it was different. There was a little boy. He...he put out the fire. He talked to me."  
"A little boy?"  
"What did the little boy say?" Buffy asks.  
"He said...he said his name was Henry."


	34. Into The Deep

_A/N: Hey Guys thank you so much for your reviews, I love hearing from you guys, so continue to review pretty please. Please continue to read and I hope you enjoy. Also I promise I will try to respond more to reviews as I'm on christmas holiday now, so I should have a bit more time to do so._

* * *

 **Into the Deep**

* * *

Hook grunts in exhaustion as he lands on the ground by the beanstalk "Mr dear Captain," A voice says from behind him "It seems you've been on quite an adventure."  
Hook turns to face Cora who holds out her hand towards him "The compass, please." She says.  
Hook smiles "Yes, that. Well...matters grew complicated. It's eluded me for the moment. The details of the affair are a bit of a bore."  
Cora smiles "Really? Stealing my protection spell and climbing the beanstalk without me might seem like a bore to you, but to me, it's a betrayal."  
"I was gonna bring it to you." Hook assures her "Our agreement remains. We are going to Storybrooke together. I'll get it back."  
Cora shakes her head "I don't have time for your games. I've crossed through too many worlds to be brought short at the brink of success. Who was it who bested you?"  
"The slayer. Buffy."  
Cora chuckles "I warned you about her. Showed you a portion of what she is cable of. And yet you did not heed my warning."  
"Rest assured, it won't happen again."  
Cora laughs "No, it won't. You chose her and the consequences of that decision."

* * *

Buffy holds out a photo of Henry in front of Aurora "Is this him? The kid from your weird firey dream?"  
Aurora takes the photo and nods "Yes. That's Henry."  
Buffy sighs "You have got to be kidding me. You're in each other's dreams. This is giving me flashbacks to my senior year of high school now."  
"Maybe it wasn't a dream." Snow says.  
Buffy turns to her mother "Wait what?"  
"That room—I've been there."  
Aurora stares at Snow stunned "When I told you about it, you didn't say anything."  
"You were terrified. I didn't want to make things worse. By telling you I thought it might be real."  
Buffy huffs "And the déjà-vu becomes more aggressive by the second."  
"Deja-vu?" Aurora asks confused.  
Mulan ignores the two and turns to Snow "A room in a dream is real?"  
Buffy shrugs "Why not? I mean I have visions of the future in my sleep, so why not a burning room which is of the real." Buffy turns to Snow "My guess, this has something to do with that curse thingy."  
Snow nods "It has to be. I went through it. Aurora went through it."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Henry, went through it because I was too chicken too be a believer."  
"Buffy."  
"What else did you lie about?" Aurora demands.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Princesses, grouchy little things." Buffy mutters as Snow turns to the young princess stunned "I was—I wasn't lying. I was protecting you."  
Buffy turns to Aurora "Come on spill the beans. What did you chat about in this dream?"  
Aurora shakes her head "We did not 'chat' all he did was say his name. And then I woke up, and it was over."  
"Buffy." Snow says drawing the slayer's attention "It's going to be okay." She assures her.  
Buffy stares at her in disbelief "Did forget what the term 'Okay' means when you hit your head?"  
"No. We have a way home now. Buffy don't you see."  
Buffy shakes her head "Oh, yes because a compass, that does nothing by itself is our mystical saviour. Plus crazy witchy still has the magic ashes."  
"Any attempt to steal from her would be suicide." Mulan tells them.  
"Not anymore." Snow says "We can stop her."  
Buffy thinks for a moment "Henry." She says causing Snow to smile, Buffy sighs "God I am so mentally challenged. Henry has access to help. Not the best kind of help but still help, Rumpelstiltskin." Buffy turns to Aurora "If there is anything I know about shared dreams is that you can communicate. Which means princess your gonna have a nap."

* * *

"How close are we?" Buffy asks "I mean not that I don't love these endless walks of ours but I think my boots are in disagreement with me over that. Plus Henry could already be waiting, and from my experience in netherworlds the get both boring and a little freaky."  
"No, we planned to meet back there in two hours." Aurora tells Buffy.  
"You're not gonna leave him waiting." Snow assures Buffy.  
Buffy looks over at Snow as the four of them continue to walk "Yeah, but what if he's—"  
"There." Snow says pointing to high ground "That looks like relatively safe high ground. We'll set up camp there. Aurora, you'll settle in and find Henry, get the information we need from Rumplestiltskin. We do this fast, in and out. It's still dangerous out here."  
Buffy paces swinging the scythe in her hands as Aurora sleeps. As Buffy paces Snow walks over to her and takes Buffy's hand in her own "Hey" Snow whispers "It'll be okay. You'll see Henry again. This will work."  
Buffy gives her a soft smile, but then they hear branches snapping "What was that?" Snow asks worried.

When Buffy hears it again she turns to Mulan "Get sleeping Beauty awake now!" Suddenly Buffy pulls out a knife and throws it at the bush near them. There is a muffled grunt of pain and then a man with Buffy's knife in his chest falls to the ground. "There's more." Buffy tells them, as she says this a large group of people start to surround the women, Buffy sighs "This makes me think of home. Kinda nice, violent but nice."

Buffy punches one of the guys in the face sending him to the ground. She elbows the one currently holding her in the face, then flips him over her back. She grabs the Scythe and brings it down removing the man's head. Buffy turns around and kicks the one coming at her in the stomach she then does a roundhouse kick causing him to fly into the opposite tree. "Buffy, watch out!" Snow screams.  
Buffy turns to see one of the men running at her, she rolls her eyes before flipping over his head. Once she lands she grabs the collar on his neck and throws him face first into tree.

Buffy runs at the next guy and jumps up wrapping her legs around his neck before flipping backwards causing him to land face first on the ground, Buffy quickly gets up pulling the man to his knees then snaps his neck.

After seeing several of the men get back up Buffy's eyes widen "Mary Margaret! These things don't die."  
"I can see that." Snow responds as she shoots another of the men with an arrow "Any ideas?" Snow asks.  
Buffy shakes her head as she brings the scythe into one of the men's stomach "Nope. They kinda remind me of Zombies. And the ones I faced the only way to kill was to kill some demon mask thing."  
Snow sighs "Mulan!" She calls only to realise she's gone.  
"Where the hell is she?" Buffy demands as she snaps another man's neck.  
"Buffy, we've got to run for it!" Snow yells as more of the men begin to stand again.

* * *

"You're not in pieces are you?" Buffy asks Snow as they run.  
"Don't think so. OR at least I hope not." Snow replies.  
Suddenly Buffy comes to an abrupt stop, Snow turns to her slightly confused but then hears the rustling of the leaves. Snow quickly grabs an arrow and was about to fire when Mulan appeared. "They took her." Mulan tells them "Aurora's gone."

* * *

As the three of them walk through the woods a crow flies over and lands on Snow's shoulder "Wait." Snow says when she sees Mulan grab for her sword.  
The crow caws in Snow's ear before flying away, Buffy looks over at Snow "You wanna explain that?"  
"Cora. We have until sundown to bring her the compass. If we don't, she'll kill Aurora."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "You speak bird? Seriously? I'll admit, never seen that before."  
Mulan steps closer to Buffy "Give it to me." She demands staring at the compass currently hanging around Buffy's neck.  
"Hold it, there. Look let's not get all wiggy here. We gotta think this through."  
"There's nothing to think about. A compass is not worth Aurora's life."  
Snow steps forward trying to reason with the warrior "We need a plan to get back Aurora and keep the  
compass."  
"My vow to Phillip was to protect Aurora. That promise is all that is left of him, so it shall be done."  
Mulan moves forward to grab the compass but Buffy twists Mulan's arm behind her back and shoves her against the tree "I wouldn't try that again if I were you. I don't take kindly to people playing with my jewelry."  
Mulan struggles trying to get up but can't get up due to Buffy's strength "Buffy, let her go." Snow says as she pulls Buffy away.

Once she has she places a hand on Mulan's shoulder trying to calm the solider "Mulan. Give us a few hours, please. If we haven't defeated Cora by then, you can have the compass."  
Mulan turns to Snow "You can't hope to defeat her. We no longer have access to the dark one's assistance."  
Buffy scoffs "Oh, please. If I can handle a God, I sure as hell can handle some crazy bitch with mommy, daughter issues."  
Snow turns to Mulan ignoring Buffy's comment "We do."  
"How? Aurora's gone."  
"Aurora isn't the only one who's been under a sleeping curse. I can go back to that netherworld."  
Mulan looks at her confused "The door to that place is closed. You said it yourself."  
"There may be a way—a way for me to go back into a deep slumber, one that can let me access it again."  
Buffy thinks for a moment before shrugging "I got nothing. Closer I got to a sleeping curse was after my sister was kidnapped and a had a breakdown. Locking my conscience inside my head. With many Buffys."  
"Buffy think about it, if I can go into a sleep where my natural defences slip away, where my mind stops protecting me."  
Buffy sighs "Let me guess, the sleepy sleep powder."  
Snow smiles and nods before turning to the angry Mulan "If I inhale it, I will fall into a deep enough sleep that I should be able to do this."  
"I used the last of it on the giant." Mulan says.  
Buffy tilts her head "Actually if we wanna get technical, I was the one that used the powder." She mutters under her breath.  
"Then make some more." Snow tells Mulan.  
Mulan looks at the both of them hesitating as she does, "The poppy plant is extremely rare in this kingdom, but I know of a place that may grow some more. It's a bit of a journey from here."

* * *

"Can we make it by sundown?" Snow asks.  
Mulan nods "We have to hurry." She tells them before the three of them head further into the woods.  
"Once we cross the ridge..." Mulan informs them as she cuts through the branches "...we'll be near the woods of the dead. The last poppies in this realm have taken seed there."  
The two continue to follow Mulan, as they do Buffy turns to Snow and looks at her worried by the expression on her mother's face "Hey, you okay?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine."  
Buffy grabs her arm "No, no no. I'm the queen of deflection okay. So I know when someone else is doing it. So come on spill, you look nervous. This netherworld—how bad is it? What's it like?"  
Snow takes a deep breath "It's like you're, um...lost, drifting in the dark, no one to talk to, nothing to do except think of all the people that you love and how you'll never see them again."  
Buffy's eyes widen "i did that to Henry, he was lost because I was too much of a damaged unbelieving bitch."  
"What are you talking about?"  
"He tried with everything he had to convince me that I was the saviour. And being who I am, I should have believed him, or at least considered the possibility. After everything I've seen, but...I didn't want to believe. So I didn't. It's my fault. I'm his mother I should have believed him."  
Snow looks at her sadly for a second before speaking "Okay, you wanna play the blame game? If I hadn't told Cora about Regina's true love, Cora never would've killed him, Regina wouldn't want revenge, the curse never would have happened."  
Buffy sighs "True. But you were a child when you made that decision. It doesn't count. I have made so many mistakes over the years, which have caused so many people I love to die. If I hadn't slept with Angel he never would have lost his soul, never would have started killing people. If I hadn't shut myself down then maybe less life's would have been lost during the war with the first."  
"Buffy, you can't feel guilt about your past. You move on like we all do. We can't continue to place blame other wise we could be here for days but it will not help us get home."  
Buffy nods "You are really optimistic you know that. I don't have that anymore."  
"If there's one thing your father's taught me, it's not to give up. Now it's time for me to go back to sleep."  
As Snow starts to walk away Buffy says something causing her to Stop "Regina."  
Snow turns to her confused "What?"  
"Regina. That's who we should blame."

* * *

"It's beautiful." Snow says as she gazes at the red flower.  
"I'll use my dagger to crush the seeds." Mulan tells them "We're doing this the old-fashioned way."  
"The powder's nearly ready." Mulan tells them.  
"How long will the effects last?" Snow asks as she crouches next to the tree.  
"It's difficult to say. Maybe an hour or much less."  
"Well, I shouldn't need much time as long as Henry's in there when I am."  
Buffy removes the compass from around her neck due to it continuing to get caught in her hair, she then places it in pocket and sits down next to Snow "I'll be here. Got nothing else to do." Buffy jokes. She slowly offers Snow her hand. Snow takes the hand and smiles "Say I to my son for me." Buffy asks.  
A moment later Mulan walks over and blows the powder onto Snow.

* * *

Buffy notices Snow finally waking up and turns to her "Hey." She says "You okay?"  
Snow looks at her confused for a second before shooting up so she is standing, Buffy looks at her stunned "Whoa, what's going on, your going all wiggy."  
"I need more powder." Snow says as she runs over to the rock where Mulan had made the powder.  
Buffy stands and turns to the panicked Snow "Ok, pretty sure you used the last of the sleeping dusty stuff. What the hell happened?"  
"NO." Snow cries "I have to go back in. He's all alone."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Henry? What-is-is he okay?"  
"No. David. He went under a sleeping spell so he could see me. He thought that my kiss would wake him, bit it didn't, and now he's trapped."  
"Okay, calm it with the crazy. And slow down, I don't understand your fast talk. Let me clarify, David is trapped in there?"  
Snow nods as she takes panicked breaths "I have to get back. There's only one way to help him."  
"True love's kiss." Buffy realises.  
"Yes, bit it won't work in there. We have to get back." Snow grabs Buffy's arm "If we don't—"  
Buffy interjects "Breathe Mary Margaret, breath. We will."  
Snow takes a breath "Now you're so sure?"  
"Yep. You don't know this about me but I used to be full of faith. Looks like I'm tapping into that. So trust me when I saw we will make it back. Okay?"  
Snow nods so Buffy goes on "Did you get the intel we need?"  
"It's Rumplestiltskin." Snow tells her "He said the key to stopping her is in his jail cell."  
"Okay. Step one, go get whatever this thingy is. Come get your stuff."  
Snow nods and stands to grabs her things, as she does Buffy, reaches into her pocket only to realise the compass is gone. "Shit!" Buffy exclaims.  
Snow turns to her "What, what is it?"  
"Mulan, bitch took my compass. I don't like it when people take my things."

* * *

Buffy throws the axe and in buries itself in the tree right by Mulan's head. Mulan gasps in shock then turns to Buffy, who smirks "You know, I never miss, be happy I don't want you dead."  
Snow raises her bow and aims an arrow at Mulan "Try to run, and I promise, I won't miss." Snow says as Buffy retrieves the Scythe.  
"How did you find me?" Mulan asks.  
"I know a thing or two about tracking. So does Buffy."  
Buffy moves to stand right in front of Mulan "All we want is the compass. So I suggest you play nice. Cause I am really not in the mood."  
"Very well." Mulan then reaches for her sword only to have Buffy grasp her hand causing her to let go. Buffy then lifts Mulan and throws her into the opposite tree. As Mulan grunts in pain trying to stand, Snow runs over and climbs on top of her holding an arrow against her throat "Give me the compass." She hisses.  
"And seal Aurora's fate?" Mulan growls.  
"We learned how to overpower Cora. Once we get what we need, we will defeat her, and Aurora will be free."  
Mulan shakes her head in disbelief "Another journey—just as I predicted there would be. Our best chance to save Aurora is to make that trade now."  
Buffy scoffs "Highly unlikely, Cora is a grade a crazy person, the moment you hand over that compass, she will kill Aurora for the fun of it. Then God knows how many people will die when she gets to Storybrooke."  
Snow continues to glare at Mulan "Without that compass we can't get home."  
"Then I hope you're prepared to use that Arrow." Mulan tells her.

Buffy hears footsteps running towards them, and rolls her eyes "You have got to be kidding me." She says before walking over and pulling Snow off Mulan.  
Snow turns to Buffy furious "What are you doing?!"  
Buffy sighs "3, 2,1."  
As Buffy says 'one' in runs Aurora. Buffy turns to her "Heyya princess, were gonna need a bit of an explaination on the whole escape thing."  
Mulan stares at Aurora and quickly gets to her feet "Were you followed?"  
Aurora shakes her head "I-I don't think so. Cora may know I'm gone, but she didn't see me escape."  
Mulan turns to Buffy "How did you know it was her?"  
"Enhanced hearing, it's a blessing and a curse." Buffy pauses before turning to Aurora "So princess, wanna do the whole explainy thing now?"  
Aurora turns to her "It was Hook. He let me go."  
Buffy's eyes widen before she burst out in laughter, after a minute of trying to catch her breath "Your kidding, right?"  
Aurora shakes her head "No, it's was him, he let me out."  
Buffy stares at her stunned "Huh. Honestly say did not see that coming. Did he give you a reason?"  
"Because of you. He said he wanted to prove to you that you should've trusted him, that if you had trusted him...you could've defeated Cora together. That the two of you could've gotten the remains of the wardrobe. Without him, you'll have to go up against her all by yourself. He only wants to help. I...think he may care for you."  
Buffy snorts "First of all, I'm wouldn't trust a word that comes out that pirate's mouth. He's too much like Spike before he was-well, good Spike. And the other part, as Giles would say 'like bloody hell he does.'

* * *

"Nice touch that." Hook says to Cora as he continues to sharpen his Hook.  
Cora turns to him "We'll clearly this girl has more trust issues then yourself Captain. Even with the princess saying it, she doesn't trust it."  
Hook smirks "She's rather perspective. It's a shame though, my guess is while the others believe I was genuine in letting the girl go, she will not be easily as fooled. But as long as the other's believe that doesn't matter. Your welcome."  
Cora smiles as she places Aurora's heart back in the satchel "Impressive. You took a heart."  
"Now you've a princess."  
"Indeed I do."  
"Now can we get on with the business of going to Storybrooke, together?" Hook asks.  
Cora smiles "Why not? I hate to travel alone. All we need is the compass."  
"Which will soon be delivered."  
"Did you find a way to stop Cora?" Aurora asks.  
Buffy nods "A big yes."  
"Where are we going?"  
"Rumplestiltskin's cell." Buffy tells her as she places the compass back around her neck.  
Aurora nods "Great. Then lead the way."  
The four of them then head off in the direction of the cell.


	35. Queen of Hearts

**Queen of Hearts**

* * *

 **San Francisco: 2 Years Ago**

"Sarah! Hey." Christ calls as he runs after Buffy, who had just left the bar.  
Buffy turns to face him and smiles "Hey, um...Chris, right?"  
Chris nods "You remembered."  
Buffy shrugs "I'm good with names. It's been awhile. Normally your at the bar every night trying to convince me to have a drink with you."  
Chris shrugs "Well, I figured asking the bartender at work to go out for a drink, was maybe not the best approach."  
Buffy laughs "Maybe not."  
"How about coffee, then?"  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "I don't date customers."  
"Well, technically your shift is over, so right now, I'm not a customer."  
Buffy hesitates "I don't think that's a good idea."  
"And why not?"  
Buffy scoffs "Look Chris, you seem like a nice guy, so I'm gonna give you some advice, don't get involved with me. I'm nothing but trouble. It's best to stay clear."  
Buffy starts to walk away but Chris goes after her "What if I like trouble?"  
Buffy sighs "Your not gonna give up are you?"  
Chris smirks "Nope."  
Buffy huffs "Fine. Coffee. But it's not a date. Is that understood?"  
Chris nods "Yes, Mam."  
Buffy makes a disgusted face "Rule one, don't call me Mam, makes me feel old."

* * *

 **Enchanted Forest: Present Day**

"Huh. Rumplestiltskin's cell. I haven't been here since before Regina's curse." Snow says as they head inside the old cell.  
Buffy looks around and shrugs "Kinda remind's me of the cell Spike locked me up in when he told me he loved me."  
Snow turns to Buffy confused "What?"  
Buffy shakes her head "It's a...long and complicated story. Please continue, your life is less complicated than my screwed up past."  
"This is where he told us you were going to be The Savior."  
Buffy scoffs "Let me guess, a prophecy?"  
Snow nods "Yes. He saw it all."  
"Damn prophecy's, you know for once I would like to be asked for permission, before something tries to write my future." Buffy pauses "Wait does that mean he knew you were gonna name me Buffy?"  
"Yes."  
"And he didn't try to talk you out of it? I mean come on, I like my name and all but when people ask about it I always blame the 80's, I can't do that know. I mean what where you thinking, you could have at least named me Elizabeth and called me Buffy for short."  
Snow chuckles "Believe it or not, the name came to me in a dream I had about my own mother."  
"The squid ink—" Aurora says effectively cutting off their conversation "It's not here."

Snow walks over to them "Gold said we would find it."  
Mulan continues to look as she speaks "Well, was there anyone else in here with him? Could they have taken the ink?"  
"No, he was kept alone. Visitors were forbidden. He was too dangerous to allow any human contact."  
Buffy turns to Snow "How did he keep from going batshit bonkers?"  
"He didn't." Aurora tells them. The three women turn to see Aurora staring at a scroll.  
"What is it?" Snow asks.  
"Is it some type of food menu or is it a message?" Buffy asks.  
"It's a message for you." Aurora says to the blonde.  
Buffy takes the scroll, to see her name written repeatedly over and over.

* * *

"What does this even mean?" Buffy asks, as she stares at the scroll.  
"He was obsessed with you, Buffy." Snow says as she continues to search, "You were the key to breaking the curse."  
"We've looked everywhere. There's no ink in this cell." Aurora says.  
"Well, it has to be. He told David."  
"You were in a netherworld. Trust me places like that tend to have problems with communication." Buffy says.  
"No." Mulan says, as she pulls the small container out of the wall "She heard right."  
"You found it?" Snow asks as she runs over.  
"In a manner of speaking, there was ink in the cell."  
Buffy sighs "Son of a bitch."

Suddenly Aurora throws a rock outside the cell, it hits the machine currently keeping the gate open. As it does the gate starts to fall, Buffy runs over and manages to get ahold of the cell, she holds it off the ground and grunts in pain as she slowly lifts it "Ah, I'm gonna feel this in the morning."  
"Impressive." A voice says. The four woman look over to see Cora and Hook standing just outside the cell. Cora smiles at Buffy, while Hook looks at her slightly stunned. "You are a strong one." Cora says, before waving her hand causing Buffy to fly into the opposite wall.  
Buffy is back up in a second, but it's too late and the gate closes. Buffy turns on Aurora "What the hell?! Have you completely lost your mind?"  
"No, just her heart." Cora says as she walks over. She pulls the heart out of her bag and shows it to Buffy.

Cora smiles then looks down at the compass currently wrapped around Buffy's neck. A second later it is in Cora's hands. "No." Buffy breaths before glaring at Cora "Give it to me witch, or swear to god I will end you."  
Buffy pounds on the bar causing Cora to laugh "Don't waste your energy, dear. No matter how much strength you have, not even Rumplestilskin himself could escape from this cell."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, I'm not some creepy ass lizard." Buffy hits the bars again, this time causing one of the wooden spikes on the bars to snap off and fly in Cora's direction. Everyone freezes and turns to Buffy stunned. Buffy just smirks and glares at Cora "Whose weak now?"  
Cora turns to Buffy "Still you, my dear, you see like your mother you have a weakness. You can't help yourself but help others. Plus I doubt you would kill me."  
Buffy glares at her "You wouldn't be my first."  
Cora smiles "It seems as though the daughter of Snow White is hardly the personification of good."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Can we get done, with this whole playful banter thing? Why did you take Aurora's heart? Maybe if you tell me that, I kill you fast."  
"Actually, I did." Hook says as he turns to Buffy "It was a gift."  
Suddenly Aurora groans in pain as Cora squeezes her heart. "Forgive us. We'd love to stay, but Storybrooke awaits and I would rather not be here when you manage to destroy the rest of this cell."

Cora turns away and Hook goes to follow. Buffy swallows her pride and turns to Hook "Hook. Wait."  
Hook turns to her, so Buffy keeps going "Don't do this. I need to get back there, my son needs me."  
Hook steps closer "Perhaps you should've considered that before you abandoned me on that beanstalk."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Technically, I didn't abandoned you...well maybe sorta...hey I left you with a nice giant." Buffy pauses seeing the unamused look on his face "You would've done the exact same thing."  
Hook steps closer and looks directly into her eyes "Actually, no." Hook pulls out a long chain and holds it in front of Buffy "Do you know what this is, Buffy?"  
"The bean the giant kept."  
Hook puts it away before Buffy can get a hold of it "Yes, indeed. A pirate always keeps a souvenir of his conquest, but this...well, this is much more than a mere trinket. This is a symbol—something that was once magical, full of hope, possibility. Now look at it, dried up, dead, useless."  
Buffy interjects "Let me guess 'much like me' hate to burst you bubble leather man, but I've been dead before and I looked a lot better than that little bean."  
Hook chuckles for a second "Never the less. The time for making deals is done, just as I am done...with you." Hook turns away from her and walks off with Cora.

* * *

Buffy continues to hit the cell while Snow just sighs "We aren't going to break it down, Buffy. It was enchanted to hold Rumplestiltskin. We don't have a chance."  
Buffy pouts and sits "Even if a punched through this thing, by the time I get through Cora and Hook will already checking into Granny's."  
"This is my fault." Aurora says.  
Mulan shakes her head "No. It's mine." She says sadly "I failed to protect you and Cora got your heart."  
Buffy turns to the two of them "That's nice guys, but it's clear this is my fault. I'm supposed to be a savior right? Well I told that role to go shove it years ago. And after everything I've done, espically in the past few years...now I don't remember how to do that job."  
Snow walks over and sits next to Buffy "We're going to win this fight, you know. Good always defeats evil."  
Buffy scoffs "Maybe in your world, but in mine good and evil is a fine line, and anyone who does the right thing suffers. I have watched wars where good innocent people have died, just because they didn't submit to the darkness. I get that you and Henry are optimistic but—I'm not. I can't understand. I have been on that line for years, and for me it's blurred, before I knew, what was right. I don't have that anymore. I have...killed people, and I don't even know it is was right or wrong anymore. How does that make me a savior?"  
Snow looks at her sadly "Buffy, you should now more than anyone that nothing is what we think. And that line that you think is blurred is still there and you are on the right side."  
"How can you be so sure?"  
Snow smiles "Because you broke the curse. You saved me and Henry, and from what Whistler said so many other people."  
Buffy shrugs "The curse was really the first time since Sunnydale that I've done anything like that. What have I done since? I screwed us royally in the get home battle and now the compass is gone. You know I thought I was getting better, after this thing in San Fransico I was darker, that's where the line became a complete blur. I thought maybe I could be the person I was but I can't...I'm sorry."  
"Buffy, people fall out of grace all the time. But maybe it's not about being who you were, but being someone new. Moving on from the past."

Buffy sighs and the two sit in silence for a moment before Buffy then remembers something "Did you say this cell was enchanted?"  
Snow nods causing Buffy to smile. "What?" Snow asks confused.  
Buffy pulls the scythe off her back and turns to Snow "This was forged by the powers that be. It has powerful magic, it's the reason it was put in the stone, to make sure The First couldn't get to it. It was written that someone like me would get to it."  
Buffy swings the scythe and it cuts through the cell.  
Buffy continues to cut when Snow realises something "Buffy. Stop."  
Buffy looks at her confused, Snow just steps forwards and raises the scroll and blows on it causing the ink to fly off the page and lower the now almost broken cell.  
Buffy smiles "Thank god. I only had to do half the work."  
The four of them start to head out when Aurora freezes "Wait. I can't go. You have to tie me up."  
"No. I'm not leaving without you." Mulan says.  
"I can't be trusted, not as long as Cora has my heart."  
"Then I will get it back for you."  
"Mulan..."  
"I will."  
"Mulan... we gotta book." Buffy says.  
Mulan sighs then ties Aurora up.

* * *

Snow shots the arrow and it knocks the compass away from Hook and Cora. "You're not going anywhere!"  
"This portal's taking us home!" Buffy yells.  
"The compass—get it." Snow tells her.

Buffy runs over to Hook who smiles "Aren't you gonna play fair love." He gesturing to Scythe. Buffy smirks then pulls out her sword. "Fine." Buffy swings the sword then kicks Hook's out of his hand. She sends a kick to his stomach causing his to fly backwards and land on his back. Buffy runs to grabs the compass and turns when she sees Hook somehow catch Aurora's heart, before it falls into the portal. He tosses the heart to Mulan "I may be a pirate, but I bristle at the thought of a woman losing her heart, unless it's over me."  
Buffy smirks "Look whose got a soft side."  
Hook shakes his head as he picks his sword back up "I don't, just like a fair fight."  
Buffy scoffs "Please, there would have to be about 20 of you for this to be anywhere near, a fair fight."  
"Your confident, I like it." Hook swings his sword and manages to get Buffy to let go of hers. Buffy ducks as he swings then lifts him and throws him away.

Buffy runs over to the compass but Hook runs at her and tackles her to the ground. He climbs on top of her and smirks "You have good form. Very good form. Impressive. Hook starts to lower his sword towards her heart as he speaks "Normally, I prefer to do other more enjoyable activities with a woman on her back. With my life on the line, you've left me no choice. A bit of advice? When I jab you with my sword, you'll feel it."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Sorry to burst you bubble, but I prefer to be on top." She then takes the swords end between her palm and smirks "By the way, I'm bored now." Buffy pushes the sword upwards causing the hilt to connect with Hook's face. Hook falls back and Buffy flips her self back up "Bit of advice? Try not to be so blind you don't even realise your miles behind in the game." Buffy smirks and raises the compass. Hook's eyes widen and he swings the sword at her again but she rolls out of the way, once she stands she flips over his head, once Hook turns to face her Buffy smiles "Night, night. Captain." Buffy then punches him in the face causing his to fly backwards.

* * *

Buffy turns to see Cora standing in front of Snow, as Buffy sees Cora raise her hands and move towards Snow, she runs and pushes her mother out of the way. As she does Cora's hand buries itself in Buffy's chest grasping her heart. "Buffy!" Snow screams.  
Cora smiles at Buffy "Oh, you foolish girl. Don't you know? Love is weakness."  
Cora tries to pull Buffy's heart but can't, Cora looks at Buffy confused. Buffy looks at Cora "Looks like your wrong about that little detail. It's strength." Suddenly a burst of energy comes from Buffy causing Cora to fly backwards. Buffy's eyes widen and she looks down at her chest. Snow runs over and places a hand over Buffy's heart. "What the hell was that?"  
Buffy asks.  
"That is a great subject for discussion...when we get home."  
The two of them run over to the portal and smile before jumping inside.

* * *

Buffy grasps the top of the well and pulls herself up "Uh, I'm gonna say it again. I hate portal travel." She says as she climbs out of the well, as does Snow.  
"Mom?" Buffy hears, she turns to see Henry and smiles "Henry!"  
"Mom!" He yells in joy, as he runs over to her and wraps his arms around her.  
"Oh! I missed you!" Buffy says as she hugs him tightly.  
"I missed you too."  
Buffy looks up to see Gold walking away. "What's going on? What happened?" Snow asks as she looks around.  
Henry looks at Regina "She saved you. She saved both of you."  
Buffy turns to her "Thanks."  
"Your welcome." Regina says as she stands.  
"Are you okay?" Ruby asks as she runs over to the three of them.  
"Where's my husband?" Snow asks. Ruby nods and takes Snows hand before leading her off. Buffy turns to Regina "Um, your mom—she's kinda reminds me of Glory. Let's just say she's—a piece of work. You know."  
Regina nods "Indeed, I do. Welcome back."  
"Thanks" Buffy says as she hugs Henry again.

* * *

Buffy watches with everyone as David wakes "You...you did it." He says as he spots Mary Margaret.  
Snow smiles "Did you ever doubt I would?"  
"No." He says as he sits up and kisses her again, he pulls away after a moment "Though the burning red room did give me pause." Snow chuckles and kisses him again.

Buffy quietly slips out the room and walks over to Gold "We need to have a little chit chat."  
Gold nods as he turns to face her "Yes. I believe apologies are in order."  
"Nope. Not big on those. Trust me if I had been in your position I would have done the same thing."  
"Just remind me never to bet against you in future, Ms. Summers."  
Buffy shrugs "I don't always win. But you know all about that huh?"  
"And what exactly do you mean by that?"  
Buffy sighs "You see the future and all that jazz right? You knew all about me being the slayer, knew that I would be the savior."  
"True. I did have some glimpses but it was more research than anything."  
"Fine. How about that stalker level scroll of yours? You had to ability to escape that cell the whole time, why didn't you?"  
"I was exactly where I wanted to be. You needed to find that so all this could occur."  
"Why did you make me the savior? You can't control what I did as a slayer, cause the PTB have that job, but the savior one, that was your doing."  
Gold chuckles "I may have created the curse, dearie, but I didn't make you. I merely took advantage of what you are—the product of true love. That's why you're powerful. And I'm not talking about your strength or your speed. But everything you've done, you've done yourself."  
Buffy looks at him intently "You don't know do you?"  
"Know what?"  
Buffy walks closer as she explains "That bitch Cora tried to rip my heart out, but she couldn't. Some weird pulse thing came outta me and blast her away before I could hit her."  
"By magic."  
Buffy shakes her head "Oh, come on. I can't have magic, I'm not the magic type."  
"Oh, but it was, dearie, that was magic. Whatever that was, I didn't do that. You did."

* * *

Buffy walks back into the room where everyone still was, as she comes in David and Snow smile "Buffy."  
David smiles at her "Looks like we have some catching up to do."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Um...I..." Suddenly Buffy's phone rings she sighs in relieved and looks down at her phone.  
When Buffy sees it's Dawn, she hesitates "Buffy? What is it?" Snow asks.  
Buffy shakes her head and hits ignore, not ready to explain yet "Nothing. You know what I'm starving."  
"How about dinner at Granny's? On me." Ruby suggests.  
"As long as it's not that creepy demon lookalike dinner, I'm in." Buffy turns to Henry "Hey, kid. You hungry?"  
"Yeah." Henry walks over to her and all of them leave.


	36. The Cricket Game

**The Cricket Game**

* * *

 _ **San Francisco: 2 Years Ago**_

Chris wakes us and reaches across the bed for Buffy, only to find an empty side of the bed. "Sarah?" Chris calls as he sits up in the bed. As he looks around the room Buffy walks out of the bathroom holding her jeans "Hey." She says as she sits on the edge of the bed. Chris watches her intently as she slips on her shirt and pulls on her jeans "You leaving?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah. I gotta get to work."  
Chris raises an eyebrow "You work at a club. And it's 8.00 in the morning."  
Buffy sighs "Inventory, plus we have to clean the place up before the band comes in to set up." Buffy stands from her seat but Chris grabs her hand "Why don't you stay, just for a little while."  
When he waggles his eyebrows Buffy chuckles, before pulling away "No, can do. I have to work for a living. So I gotta book."  
Chris nods before quickly jumping out of the bed and walking over to the dresser "Here." He says as he shows her a small box.  
Buffy smiles "What's this for?"  
"Our anniversary."  
Buffy starts to cough startled "Anniversary?" She asks confused.  
"3 month anniversary."  
"Oh. Um...I...thanks."  
Buffy smiles at him awkwardly she hadn't really thought about that, honestly she hadn't thought they were serious, they just hooked up from time to time.  
"Look, I gotta go."  
Chris leans in for a kiss but Buffy moves her face so he catches her cheek. She then bristly makes her way to the door and out of the apartment leaving the box behind.

* * *

 _ **Storybrooke, Maine: Present Day**_

As Buffy and Henry enter the loft, Henry calls out to Mary Margaret and David "Hey. Guess what. Taco shells were on sale."  
Buffy freezes when she hears a bed creaking and pulls Henry back "Guys." Buffy calls to her parents "I suggest, you stop whatever your doing, please."  
Henry looks at her confused and moves to look in Snow's room where her and David are in bed, Henry looks at the two of them confused "Why are you guys till in bed it's the middle of the afternoon."  
Buffy looks down at Henry "Hey, why don't we start on those tacos for the party?"  
Henry nods excited "Cool." He says before making his way into the the kitchen.  
Buffy turns on the guilty couple "Seriously? Here's an idea, sock-door. And hello, some of us have super hearing." Buffy shakes herself disgusted before glaring at the two of them "If he starts asking questions, the two of you have to answer those. I did it for Dawn and it almost killed me, now as I am all grown up, you can do it for him. As if he starts, it's your fault." Buffy watches the two for a moment before remembering that they're actually her parents, her jaw drops and she turns away "Ewww. Ewww. Gross. This is a bad as walking in on my mom and Ted making out in the kitchen."

* * *

Buffy, David, Snow and Henry all enter Granny's and everyone cheers for them. As everyone hugs Granny walks over to Buffy, Buffy holds out the container of Tacos "Tacos? I can't guarantee that their good, but at least I didn't have to kill it."  
Granny nods "Don't I know it. Meat Loaf back home? What a bitch."  
Buffy chuckles before taking a beer and turning to David, who is drawing everyone's attention "I just wanted to, uh, thank you all for joining us tonight. Um, Mary Margaret and I—we have a saying—that we will always find each other, and while I believe that with all my heart, I'd like you all to raise your glasses and join me when I say, here's to not having to look for a while." Everyone laughs  
"To Mary Margaret and Buffy." David says, everyone cheers and clinks their glasses. As they do the door opens and in steps Regina "Sorry I'm late."  
Everyone turns in shock, "What is she doing here?" Leroy asks as he grabs a knife off the counter.  
Buffy turns to him "Put the knife down cranky pants, I invited her."

As Regina moves to put the lasagna she brought down, Snow and David pull Buffy aside stunned.  
Buffy explains "Look, we are alive right now, because of Regina. She deserves a chance. She deserves our thanks."  
David looks at his daughter "Didn't you think to tell us about it?"  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Well, I was going to. But you guys were a bit busy, 'resting'."  
Snow draws Buffy's attention "Buffy, she tried to kill us, yesterday."  
Buffy shrugs "Yeh. It's not that bad. I once dealt with Spike trying to kill me one day to him helping me the next. Hell even Willow tried to kill me. And she was my best friend. So trust me when I tell you that I know why you have your issues. But in my years I have seen a vengeance demon who massacred thousands of men try to be good. Regina has Henry, that's more than enough reason for her to want to try to change. He believes in her, and I have seen enough to know that it is possible to come back from being the kind of person that she was."  
Buffy sighs, when they still don't budge "Look I'm getting a chance right, and I have done some horrible things in the past that still haunt me. If I get a chance, so does she."  
The husband and wife look at each other before nodding at Buffy.

* * *

A few hours later Buffy notices Regina heading out the door, Buffy sighs and forces herself to go after the mayor.  
"Hey you bailing?" Buffy calls as she steps out of the cafe and walks over to Regina.  
"Yes. I believe it's time to call it a night."  
Buffy shrugs "You sure, I hear Archie made cake."  
Regina smiles but shakes her head "I'm fine. Thank you."  
Buffy nods "Okay." Buffy turns to head back inside but Regina stops her.  
"Thank you." Regina says to the blonde.  
Buffy turns to her "You do realise that you said that already right. Or our we in that weird loop thing. Oh God I hope not. That drove me insane last time."  
Regina chuckles "No. No relapse of time. I'm thanking you f-for inviting me."  
Buffy shrugs "No big, it was really Henry who wanted you there. I'm glad you guys got to do the whole spending time together."  
Regina nods "Me, too. I'd like to see him more. Maybe you'd consider letting him stay over some time. I-I have his room just... just waiting for him."  
Buffy sighs "I don't know...maybe not right now."  
Regina glares at her angrily "Oh, because you know so much about parenting. Ask David at least he spent time with him in the time you were gone. Like I did for the last 10 years you were gone."  
Buffy glares at her angrily "First of all you don't know the first thing about what happened ten years ago. Now, thanks for coming if you'll excuse me."  
Buffy turns to leave but Regina stops her again "No. Wait. I'm sorry. Buffy, I—I'm sorry snapping at you—I shouldn't have done that. Will you accept my apology?"  
Buffy turns to her "Sure. Listen Regina, the only reason I say right now is because I have seen the effect dark magic can have on people. It latches on and refuses to let go. It can take...time to manage. I just think while you still in the stage of getting use to not using magic like you used to, it's best you focus on that, it can be difficult to shake that urge."  
Regina raises an eyebrow "How do you know that?"  
"Past experience."  
Regina looks at her stunned "You—?"  
Buffy interjects "No. A friend of mine, started off good, like I'm sure you did. Got hooked on dark magic and did things she can never take back. She even tried to end the world. But once she accepted what she had done and realised that she wanted to change, it took time but she started using the power she had for good."  
Regina smiles softly "You really think I can do that?"  
Buffy nods "I believe that if you really want to, you can. Archie said you were trying to change, that's the first step."  
Regina's eyes widen "Dr. Hopper said I was trying?" She asks.  
Buffy nods "Yeah. Said you were doing the whole trying chibang. I was hesitant to invite you because I wasn't sure, but he told me that you are trying. He thought it would be a good idea."  
Regina nods "Yes, it was. I should be going." Regina then turns away and walks away from the diner.

* * *

"So what was it like over there?"Henry asks Buffy as they eat breakfast at Granny's.  
Buffy shrugs "Kinda like Sunnydale, but with more greenery. You know with the danger and the fighting for my life stuff. The whole dead rising thing really reminded me of home."  
Henry smiles "Awesome. You know I really wish I could have at least gone to Sunnydale, what happened to it anyway?"  
Buffy shrugs "I blew it up."  
"Awesome."  
Buffy chuckles "Your idea of awesome is so very much like Xander's, it's creepy. Come on. Time for school." Buffy starts to get up "I'll take you to the school bus."  
Henry grabs his bag and glances over at Buffy "It's okay. I can go on my own."  
Buffy smiles "Humor me?"  
"David let me."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, David did not live on a Hellmouth for seven years that made him paranoid."  
"You used to let me." Henry points out.  
Buffy nods "True, but thats before all the crazy mumbo jumbo that started happening in this 2.0 version of Sunnydale. Plus I heard that walking their kid to the the bus is what mothers do. Figured I try it out."  
Henry smiles and Buffy and him make their way out of the diner.

As they step outside Archie's dog runs over to them "Hey, Pongo." Henry says as he bends down to pat the dog. The dog barks loudly at Henry "It's ok." He says trying to sooth the upset dog.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow and looks around for Archie only to not see him anywhere in sight "Where's Archie?"  
Suddenly Ruby comes running out the diner "Buffy, something's wrong."  
Buffy turns to Ruby to see her bend by the dog "How-actually I think I already know the answer." Buffy turns to Henry "You know what your 11, plus you have a slayer for a mom I'm sure you'll be fine. Go on. I'll get you later."  
"Ok." Henry says before walking off.  
As he does Pongo runs off and Ruby and Buffy follow him.

* * *

"Archie?" Buffy says as she opens the door to his office, after Pongo had led her and Ruby there. "Archie?" She says again as she enters the room, she looks around the room only to spot Archie lying on the ground. "Oh, no." Buffy breaths before she jumps over the couch and over to Archie "What? What is it?" Ruby asks worried as she enters the room.  
Buffy bends down next to Archie and tries to find a plus "Archie?" Buffy looks up at Ruby and shakes her head. Ruby's eyes fill with grief "No, no."  
"Who would do this?"  
"I think I know."

* * *

"Glad to see the Sheriff's station in now a family business." Regina says, as Buffy and David enter the interrogation room, where she is currently sitting. "Why am I here?" She asks confused.  
Buffy sighs "Don't play dumb, I'm the queen of that." Buffy says "You are here because of Archie."  
Regina shrugs "So now it's against the law to get into an argument with someone?"  
David glares at the mayor "It is if you go to their office later that night and kill them."  
Regina's eyes widen in shock and despair "Archie's dead?"  
David just rolls his eyes "Stop it, Regina. Ruby saw you going into his office last night."  
"Then she's lying. I was home all evening." Regina turns to Buffy "After everything I've done to change, to win Henry back, why would I toss it all away now? And if I did and I was going to kill Archie, you would never know it. The fact that he's dead and you 'caught' me shows sloppiness."  
"You've been caught before." David tells her, he then turns to Buffy "Come on, Buffy. Who do you think's lying—Ruby or her? She's incapable of change, no matter how many times we've given her the chance. Why should this time be any different?"  
Buffy sighs "David, give us a minute."  
David turns to Buffy shocked "Buffy—"  
"Now." Buffy gives him a pointed look causing him to sigh before he slowly exits the room.

Once the door closes behind David, Buffy reaches into her pocket and takes out the gem Angel had given her when she left town "Involere." Buffy says before turning to Regina.  
"What was that?" Regina asks confused.  
Buffy places the gem on the table "An old boyfriend gave me this, for six minutes anything that happens in this room will be concealed. It's a glammer kinda thing."  
Regina raises an eyebrow "Why do we need a glammer?"  
"Because I believe you."  
"You do...?"  
Buffy nods "Yes, but I also believe Ruby."  
Regina shakes her head, even more confused than before "Then how..."  
Buffy sighs "Look I saw the expression on your face when I told you about Archie, it was pure shock and despair. You didn't kill him. But I think you have a double out there somewhere."  
"You think someone is setting me up? Then why don't you tell Mr and Mrs Self Righteous out there."  
Buffy sighs "They won't believe me, to them you are the worst thing they have ever faced. But the people I have faced make you seem like a pre-school teacher." Buffy pauses "Look, I have seen shapeshifters before so I know it's possible. Hell I even had a robot version of me for a while. But I think someone is trying to frame you, to isolate you."  
Regina watches Buffy intently before coming to a realisation "You want me to find out who."  
Buffy nods "Which means..."  
"We have to give them exactly what they want."

* * *

Buffy steps out the interrogation room and slips the gem back into her pocket. As she closes the door she turns to Snow who is glaring at Regina through the glass "So what do we do with her now?"  
"Lock her up." David suggests.  
Buffy shakes her head "Yeah, we are not doing that. She didn't do it. Hence the whole, no, on the locking up thing."  
The two of them turn to the blonde astonished "You really believe her?" David asks in disbelief  
Buffy nods "The expression on her face was pure shock and despair. It's not one you can fake. She didn't know."  
Snow sighs "Buffy, we know you want to believe that Regina can change for Henry, but—"  
Buffy cuts her off "I know that expression, I saw that despair everyday after I was brought back. I know that look." The two of them look at her sadly, causing Buffy to roll her eyes "Fine, you don't trust my judgement, whatever, but look at her. The old crazy bat ears Regina, would've turned this place into nothing but smoke and mirrors by now. She wants to change and she just wants everyone else to see it." Buffy sighs "I know that look. I know her. I believe her."  
David shakes his head "With all due respect, you don't know her like we do."  
Buffy scoffs "With all due respect, I have seen things that make her seem like a puppy dog. I watched a vampire with no soul try to be good, because he loved me. He changed and he fought. This is a man that helped massacre half off Europe along with Angelus. Trust me if I guy like Spike can change, then Regina is perfectly capable of it." Buffy sighs "Trust me, I know that in your world she is the Evil Queen. But guess what, your in my world now. And as Sheriff, my word is law. Which means until I see evidence, she's innocent."  
Snow shakes her head "So, uh, what do you suggest we do?"  
"We let her go."  
"Buffy, she—" David tries but Buffy cuts him off.  
"No. We are letting her go."

* * *

As Buffy, Snow and David search through Archie's files they sigh, unable to find anything. Buffy huffs and stands, walking over to the small safe below the desk, she bends down in front of it and rips the lid off the safe "Buffy!" Snow exclaims.  
Buffy turns to her and shrugs "What? There may be answers in here."  
David chuckles slightly earning him a glare from his wife. Buffy rolls her eyes and pulls out a small box, she walks back over to her seat and places the box on the table.  
As she rumbles through the box she finds something unexpected "Whose Emma Swan?" Snow asks as she looks over Buffy's shoulder.  
Buffy laughs uncomfortably "That would be me."  
"What?" David asks confused.  
Buffy sighs "Its the name I used after Sunnydale went Kaaboom. Well one of them anyone. Let's just say it was my favourite."  
Buffy takes the large file out of the box and laughs "She had Archie did into my past, look, Anne Walker, Sarah Springs, Jessica Saunders. It's all the names I used."  
Buffy chuckles as she stares at the file "Damn there's old notes from Principal Snyder in here. And even the anger management therapist I went too."  
"Anger Management?" David asks  
Buffy shrugs "As the slayer, I tended to get in a lot of fights, plus I did burn down a school building one time. But after I got back into Sunnydale one of the condition was that I had to see this therapist...about my 'violent tendences'. It's a shame I kinda liked the guy."  
"What happened to him?" Snow asks.  
"I found him dead in his office, eyes clawed out."  
Buffy stares at the file a moment before her expression goes blank, she places the file down not notices a few photos fall to the ground, she stands "This is useless." She says before walking over to the file cabinet.

As Buffy searches Snow bends down to pick up the photos, she stares at the images of her daughter, barely 16 years old with a brunette boy's head resting on her lap while she leans her head on a redhead's shoulder. David walks over and takes the other photo's, seeing one of Buffy in a pink dress holding a golden umbrella. Snow smiles at the photo as does David. The two look at the last three photos one of which shows Buffy has barely five years old playing with a little stuffed pig. Snow feels tears fill her eyes as she stares at the photo of the young Buffy. The next photo show Buffy, Joyce, Hank and Dawn, in the image Buffy is wearing a small crown as she sits in front of a birthday cake, Joyce smiling at her.  
Snow hold in the tears as she turns to the last photo, of Buffy at around 16 standing with a tall dark haired man, she looks closely at the man and spots the ring currently hanging around Buffy's neck "Oh, god." She breaths. She turns to David and points at the ring before gesturing to Buffy.  
Before David could respond Buffy turns to them and spots them hovering over the file, she walks over and picks up the file before tossing it into the fire "Let's get back to work. That's useless."  
The two parents stare at the burning box stunned and upset, but they went back to searching.

* * *

A little while later David pulls out a file "Regina's file—it's empty."  
Snow sits up in her seat and turns to David "She did it. She killed the kindest soul in this town, a man who only cared about helping."  
Buffy sighs "Look, one piece of evidence doesn't mean the case is closed. We will find whoever is really did this."  
David turns to Buffy "Isn't it time you admit we already have? Regina had a fight with Archie, Ruby saw her outside last night, and now her file is empty. That's...that's a lot of evidence."  
Buffy shrugs "Yeah, well you are both assuming. Look I have been in that position a number of times and if everyone around me had done what you two are doing right now, then the first time I would have killed Angel the moment I found out what he was. Plus I would also be in prison right now for murder."  
Buffy sighs "Look things are different here than fairytale land. Evidence tends to be hard to find, trust me I near enough spent my entire teenage years playing mini investigator with demons."  
"You think she was framed." Snow says as she sits on the arm of the couch by Buffy.  
"Wouldn't be the first time it's happened to someone in this tiny little town."  
"Who would want to frame her?" David says.  
"That's a long list, present company included."  
Buffy thinks for a moment before the answer comes to her "Well, there is one person who would go with the whole kill person tick box answer."

* * *

Buffy opens the doors at Gold's "See you got the door fixed. I preferred it the other way." Buffy says with a smirk.  
Gold turns to Buffy "Sorry, to disappoint Ms. Summers."  
Gold circulars the counter and goes to stand opposite Buffy "Nothing warms the heart more than a family reunited. You have your mother's chin, Ms. Summers. As well as your father's love of swords."  
Buffy glares at him "Enough with this chit chat crap. We know you killed him."  
"Apparently your father's tact as well, you know for a slayer, I would have expected better."  
Buffy shrugs "Well, I'm retired."  
"Someone's dead?" Belle asks confused.  
Buffy glances at her "Dr. Hopper."  
"Why on earth would you think I had anything to do with that?" Gold asks genuinely confused.  
Buffy shrugs "Well, the whole thing looks like a shady frame job on Regina."  
"And she's not possibly capable of doing something so vile?" Belle asks.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Again with assumptions. What is it with you people, it's like you don't understand what a frame job is."  
"It wouldn't be the first time you used someone to try and hurt her." Snow says.  
Gold turns to Snow "Nice to see your memory's still intact, Dearie, but this time, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to disappoint you. It wasn't me."  
David crosses his arms "Why should we believe you?"  
"Because I can prove it. Ask the witness."  
Buffy watches Gold intently before understanding what he means "You have got to be kidding me."  
Gold smiles "Smart one you are Ms. Summers."

* * *

Gold bends down in front of Pongo and stocks his head, as he does Belle chuckles "I, uh, I didn't know you were such a dog person."  
Gold smiles "Well, a long time ago, in another life, I got to know a sheepdog or two."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Go figure. But as fascinating as that it. Can we get with the program here. You know the whole making the dog, talk or—do you speak dog? Or are we going to have to find a translator?"  
Gold chuckles as the blonde "Oh, dearie, a translator could not do what needs to be done."  
"So what needs to be done?"  
"Magic, Ms. Summers. It won't allow us to communicate, but it will allow us to... extract his memories."  
"Extract?" David asks confused and worried for Pongo.  
"You don't have to worry." Gold assures him "He won't feel a thing."  
Buffy turns to Gold "So what? We should all get on board with the whole trust Gold thing. If we're going to do that—well, I'm gonna need a reason as to why we're giving you all this trust." Buffy walks closer "I know magic Gold. Which means I know you could easily just try and use it to fool us."  
"Well you won't have to worry about that dearie, as I won't be the one using magic. You will."  
Buffy's eyes widen, before she burst out laughing "Me?—wow, really, your really losing your marbles aren't you?"  
Gold chuckles "Need have it Ms. Summers but you have it within you. Told me so yourself." Gold turns to Snow "You witnessed it, didn't you?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Okay, first of all I can't have magic. I'm not magic gal. That was Willow's gest. I just hit stuff."  
"Deny it all you want but you know it's true. You have magic, and right now you just might need it dearie."  
"Buffy, you don't have to do this." Snow tells her.  
Buffy sighs and turns to her "I don't have a choice. I may not be the biggest fan of magic, 'cause if the door it opens but if it gets up what we need to know then...I'll take that risk."  
Gold pulls out a small object and holds it out in front of Buffy "Now...do you know what this is?"  
"A dream catcher."  
Gold chuckles "Well...it's capable of catching so much more." Gold walks over to Pongo and hovers the dream catcher above the dog. As he does it begins to glow "What is that?" Belle asks confused.  
"Memories." Gold informs her "Now Ms. Summers—you show us how."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow as Gold holds out the dream catcher towards her "Could you vague that up for me?" She says sarcastically. She sighs "I can't sort through that creepy memory jumble."  
"Will it. Will it, and we shall all see."  
Buffy takes the dream catcher and tries to focus, after a moment nothing happens "Nothing happening here. Can't do it." She says.  
"Yes, you can."  
Buffy nods before taking a deep breath and closing her eyes after a moment she opens her eyes to see it working "Buffy...you're doing it." David says amazed.

The group of them watch as the image shows Regina entering the office and killing Archie. Buffy watches Regina intently and notices a flaw. Buffy knows that shapeshifting spells are never exact and if you look close enough there is always a small flaw. Buffy drops the dream catcher and leaves the room.  
Buffy quickly makes her way outside and grabs her phone "Yes?" Regina answers.  
Buffy sighs "Long story short, someone was using a shapeshifting spell to frame you, there is proof that you killed Archie, legitimate proof."  
"What are we going to do?"  
Buffy thinks for a moment "I say we play into their hands. Whoever is doing this is not going to reveal who they are until they think that I believe everyone else. Which means you and I are about to have a bit of a confrontation. And we got to make it look real."  
"How are we supposed to do that?"  
Buffy shrugs "Wing it. Gotta go." Buffy quickly hangs up the phone as she hears Snow and David rushing after her.

"Buffy. Wait." David tells her "Where are you going?"

Buffy shrugs "Well I was thinking a manicure, but first just gotta pick up a witch."  
"Well, can we talk about this?" Snow asks as the two of them follow the blonde slayer.  
Buffy shakes her head "Nope. Not much of a talker. More of a hit first talk later kind of person. But you want details? Fine. I'm gonna make the bitch pay."  
"Buffy, how do you plan on doing that? She has her powers back."  
Buffy scoffs "Yeah you seem to be forgetting that I have faced things then times as powerful as Regina. Hell the last witch I faced locked me in a fighting ring and that ending with a 'ding dong the witch is dead'. Plus you saw what happened I have mine too. Plus if they don't work I can always beat her to a pulp."  
David grabs Buffy's arm "Yeah. You have strength and—something, but you didn't even know what the hell to do with it, and now you're gonna go take on the most powerful woman in town?"  
Buffy shakes him off "You don't know me. So stop trying to pretend you know what I can handle. You don't. And that woman—only has basic parlour tricks from what I've seen. Now if you'll excuse me."  
Buffy turns but Snow catches her hand "Buffy, it's not safe to go after her without a plan."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I have a plan. Attack."  
"Buffy." David says "Even if the dwarf can build something to contain her. We need a way to contain her magic until then."  
"Fairy dust." Snow realises "Leroy said they were processing a new batch of it."  
Buffy sighs "Fine. You can try your way. Then I'll try mine. And trust me mine's not gonna be pretty."  
David nods "Problem is she's gonna see us coming."  
Buffy smirks "I guess I could distract her."

* * *

Buffy pounds on Regina's door, Regina smiles as she opens the door "Ms. Summers. I assume you're here to apologise."  
Buffy shrugs "Not one for apologising to people I have seen murder an innocent."  
"What?" Regina asks.  
"I saw it." Buffy informs her "You choked the life out of Archie."  
Regina shakes her head confused "What are you talking about? How is that even possible?"  
"Magic." David interjects.  
Regina raises an eyebrow and turns back to the blonde slayer "You—"  
Buffy cuts her off "I saw what happened. And it was you. Seemed to be having a great old time."  
"Gold. He helped you. You're going to trust him, of all people, when he's probably the one behind this?" Regina asks in disbelief.  
"We didn't trust him." Snow tells the Mayor "That's why Buffy used magic instead."  
Regina turns to Buffy shocked "You can use magic. The Savior. Of course. Well, I'm guessing from your history you know—"  
Buffy cuts in "That magic always has a price. Yeah I know. But guess what missy, I'm not the only one who is going to be paying that price."  
"How's that?"  
"Henry. He believed in you. His heart's gonna break. That's both our prices."  
Regina shakes her head "No. I will not let you poison Henry against me."  
Buffy chuckles "Wow, your short term memory sucks, you do remember that you literally poisoned him right?" Buffy then turns away and starts to walk off.

Regina paces after her "I want to see him. He deserves to hear my side of the story! He's my son!"  
Buffy turns back to Regina "He's not! He's mine!" She yells "And know one thing madam mayor after this you go anywhere near him and I will make you regret it. Do it."  
Suddenly the blue fairy appears and throws a ball of magic hurdling towards Regina, however Regina quickly catches it and then glares at Snow and David "Did you really think that would work again?" Regina then throws the ball of magic on the ground by their feet."  
Regina turns back to Buffy and glares at her "You...You will not keep my son from me."  
Regina raises her arm to use her powers but Buffy catches her arm and then throws Regina, causing her to crash into the doorway of her own house. Regina growls and stand and throws up her arms causing Buffy to spin in the air, Buffy lands on her feet and pulls out the scythe. Regina glares at her "So you going to keep hitting me slayer, or are you going to try and use some of your new found magic to stop me know?"  
Buffy smirks "As much as I would love to knock you off your pedestal... I've already won. You just proved that you will never change. Henry will never trust you now."  
Regina looks at the ground before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

* * *

"Hey." Buffy says as she answers her phone "You know for a woman who grew up without TV, your a good actress." Buffy tells Regina.  
Regina gets right to the point "What are you going to do now?"  
Buffy sighs "If we wanna catch this guy, no one can know the truth. Not even Henry. We don't know who is framing you yet. And if anyone else knew it would put them at risk. Which means-"  
"I know. You have to tell Henry, that I killed Archie."  
Buffy rubs her forehead "I'm sorry Regina."  
"It doesn't matter, the sooner we know the truth, the sooner we can tell him."  
Buffy look around and notices Snow and David walking towards her "Look, I gotta go. But let me make one thing clear Regina. If you betray me, or I find out you tricked me. I will kill you, and I will make sure that you suffer. Do you understand me?"  
"Yes." Regina says her voice void of any emotion.  
Buffy nods "Good. I'll contact you soon." Buffy hangs up the phone and turns to David and Snow, before the three of them then head off the bus stop.

Buffy looks at the clock tower and begins to panic "Oh god, oh god. Not good. Henry's bus is gonna be here any minute."  
Snow looks at her sadly but tries to reassure her "You can do this."  
Buffy shakes her head "I'm not good with the whole bad news thing. Point in case what happened when I told Dawn about mom. I can't do it again, especially to Henry. Telling him that someone is cared about was killed by someone he loved, is something I can't tell him, I'm not on some crazy reality show where this stuff is normal." Buffy shakes her head again "This is like real parent stuff. I am 26 years old, I had Henry when I was still a kid. I was never a parent to him, and the closet I have ever been to that was with Dawn. And I sucked at that. How am I supposed to be a parent to my kid, when I never was one."  
David nods in understanding "I know. I've been asking myself the same question."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Shit." She mutters "Look, you guys this—I-you don't need to do this. It really isn't necessary."  
"No, it is." Snow tells her "And yes, we have to. We can figure it out. So can you."  
Buffy shakes her head "You don't know me. Before Storybrooke...The things I have seen, the things I have done. Let's just say I was not parent material. But then again any one in my line of work tends not to be."  
David nods in encouragement "Yeah, but we know who you are since you've been here."  
Buffy shakes her head "You only know one part. And trust me, if my kind of monsters were around here it would be so easy for me to revert."  
"You're not going to. And the Buffy I know was great with Henry."  
"I was his parent for less then 5 minutes before Lena took him." Buffy exclaims.  
"And I was your for five minutes, too, but things are different now, for all of us. We don't have to go though any of it alone. We're family."

Buffy turns toward the school bus and Henry climbs off and walks over to her "Buffy. I told you I could walk myself."  
Buffy nods "I know. Something happened...kid we gotta talk."  
"What is it?"


	37. The Outsider

After the funeral, Buffy walks into one of the bedrooms where Henry is currently staring out of the window. "Hey, kid. You hungrey?" She asks "I managed to wrangle up a pop-tart. Hand to fight a dwarf for it, but I won."  
Henry smiles sadly "No, thanks." He then turns away and goes back to staring out the window.  
Buffy sighs and places the plate on the bed before walking out of the room and over to Mary Margaret "Well, that went well." Buffy says sarcastically "Still better than Dawn though. She yelled at me for days, refusing to believe me."  
"Buffy, you're doing all you can." Snow assures her.  
Buffy nods "That just makes it worse."

"Ladies..." Leroy interrupts as he walks over "The dwarves have been thinking. We have to ask." He sighs "When do we go back?"  
Buffy turns to him slightly confused "Back? Where?"  
"The Enchanted Forest. Our home."  
"You wanna go back?" Snow asks stunned.  
Buffy turns back to the dwarf "You do realise that place is not exactly Enchanted Forest-y as the moment right? Plus we did just fight like hell to get back here."  
"But with what Regina did to Archie, Storybrooke ain't as safe as we thought."  
Buffy interjects "That place you call home, isn't exactly homey and safe at the moment either. Look, I'm gonna find Regina. Even a witch leaves a track, there is only a few places she can hide."  
Snow sighs "We'll find her, together." She says to her daughter before turning to Leroy "We've dealt with her before. We'll do it again. Plus Buffy has dealt with things much worse. We have a better advantage now."  
"But it's not just her." He tell the princess "The curse is broken. There's a whole world full of people beyond the town line, plus all the monsters from Buffy's past who don't know who or what we are. Ever think of what might happen if one of them were to come pay a visit?"  
"He's right." Ruby says from the kitchen "What if they see, you know, magic? Like a girl turning into a wolf, for example?"  
Buffy interjects "Actually that quiet common in this world."  
"What?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah. Werewolves, tend to live in the mountains though. An old friend of mine is a werewolf." Buffy pauses thinking of the Initiative "Although the whole fear thing I get."  
Buffy sighs "Look, at the moment no one or thing is here. No Initiative or crazy judge-y people."  
Leroy interjects "Maybe they come. Maybe they don't. But that doesn't change the fact that while we might enjoy things like penicillin, we're a bit homesick. Think about it Buffy, you're like us. What would you do if you had the chance to go back to Sunnydale again?"  
Buffy's eyes widen "I—" Buffy is cut off by the sound of her phone ringing, she quickly grabs it a sighs in relief when she sees Faith's number "I gotta take this." She say before quickly exiting the apartment.

Buffy heads around the corner away from the apartment before answering the phone "Hello?"  
"B!" Faith exclaims "Finally, I've been trying to get ahold of you for weeks. Where the hell you been?"  
Buffy chuckles slightly "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."  
"Does this have anything to do with you being Snow While and Prince Charming's daughter?"  
Buffy's jaw drops "What? How did you—"  
Faith cuts her off "Lena. She told me."  
Buffy's eyes widen "She knew?"  
"Yep. Turns out that woman knows a lot. If you ask me it's kinda creepy."  
Buffy chuckles "Yeah. She kinda of is."  
"So where were you?"

Buffy sighs "The Enchanted Forest." Buffy says, exaggerating the term.  
Faith burst out in laughter "So did you go to your castle? Princess Buffy?"  
"Shut up. It's so not funny."  
Faith chuckles "Oh yes it fucking is."  
Buffy groans "You suck."  
"Fine. So how you doing B?"  
Buffy sighs "Honestly. I don't know. I'm just trying to keep from having a panic attack at the moment."  
Faith sighs "Sorry, B." Faith pauses "Look, B there is another reason I called, it's about Angel."  
Buffy sighs sadly "I know Faith. Whistler told me Angel's gone."  
"That's not all Buffy. Angel...he...um—there was a prophecy, it some really complicated shit, but basically it came true and Buffy, Angel was human."  
Buffy eyes widen "What-?" Buffy says barely managing to get the one word out.  
"It didn't happen like he planned apparently, he turned human some time after he got dragged down to hell with Wolfram and Hart. But he survived the war and Buffy...he was coming to find you. But Buffy, a demon got to him. He killed Angel."  
Buffy falls against the wall and drops the phone to the ground. As Buffy drops to the ground she reaches out a shaky hand and grabs her phone, "Faith, I gotta go. Thank you for telling me." Buffy then crushes the phone in her hand.

As Buffy cries she doesn't notice Hook watching her from the roof of the building opposite's Gold's Pawn shop.  
A few minutes the grief and misery begin to turn to anger and rage. Buffy stands on shaky legs and turns to the wall bring her fist against it. She pounds on the wall till her hands bleed. Suddenly she stops and walks towards the woods. She continues to walk until she is far enough away that no one would be able to hear her "Whistler!" Buffy yells "Whistler I swear, get your demon ass down here right now!" Buffy yells in frustration and she looks up at the sky "After everything I have done for this world. You owe me this!"  
"Your right kid." Whistler says from behind her "They owe you this, and a hell of a lot more."  
Buffy turns to him and growls before smashing him against a tree "He was human! He came looking for me, because he was human and you didn't tell me!"  
"He didn't want you to know."  
Buffy pulls away stunned "What are you talking about?"  
Whistler sighs "After the demon stabbed him, he called for me. Asked me not to tell you he was human. He knew that it was something you've both been waiting for a long time. He didn't want to destroy your ability to hope."  
Buffy begins to breath heavily "I want to see him."  
Whistler sighs sadly "Kid, you know that's now how it works."  
Buffy shakes her head "No. You know what. I don't give a shit. I have put up with so much crap from the powers and you know what, they owe me this. They owe me the chance to say—to say goodbye."  
Whistler closes his eyes for a moment before moaning "Dammit. Fine. I'll talk to them, may be a while, and I make no promises but I'll try to get you that goodbye."  
Buffy nods "Thank you. Also I want to know what demon killed him." She says as she wipes at the tears.  
Whistler gives her a smile "No probs kid. I'll find out." He starts to turn away from her when he stops "Pongo."  
Buffy turns to him confused "What?"  
"The dog. Maybe having that connection to Archie will help your son."  
Buffy smiles "Thanks."

* * *

"How'd he get in here?" Snow asks as she spots Pongo on the bed with Henry.  
"I brought him." Buffy says as she walks into view "Friend of mine gave me an idea. So Marco and I had a chat. Archie knew how much that dog means to Henry. We talked decided he should have him." Buffy turns to Henry "You up for taking care of him right?"  
"Yeah, I am!" The boy says happily.  
Buffy chuckles "Well, let's hope your not like I was with my goldfish with Pongo." Buffy looks down and spots the mud on the ground "Henry, why don't you go get him cleaned up?"  
"Ok." Henry says happily before running outside with the dog.

Buffy chuckles and walks into the kitchen and begins to remove her gloves.  
As Snow and David walk over to her, she looks up "Look, I get logistically, there's—"  
"No, no, no." Snow assures her "I think giving Pongo to Henry is a great idea. It's just, four people and a dalmatian in this loft...things might get a little—"  
Buffy interjects "Cramped. Got it. Look don't worry about it."  
Snow and David look at her oddly "What do you mean?" David asks.  
Buffy shrugs "Nothing. Just, I'm looking for a new place so you don't need to worry about the crampedness."  
"You wanna move out?" Snow asks stunned.

Buffy slowly removes the first glove and places her bloody hand on the table, as she begins to pour alcohol over it she answers "I can't do cramped. Not after living with 30 girls in one house, with one bathroom. Plus I kinda thought it would be easier on the two of you. It also means I can build myself a nice gym, meaning stuff like this won't happen."  
Buffy gestures to her hands causing Snow to gasp "Buffy! What happened?"  
Buffy sighs "Doesn't matter."  
"Obviously it does." David says as he moves to help clean up her other hand "There is concrete in your hands as well as brick powder, you were hitting a wall."  
Buffy shrugs "Wall, had it coming."  
"Come on."  
Buffy huffs "Look, I got some bad knew ok. Can we drop it?"  
Buffy stands and heads towards the stairs "Buffy, please?" Snow begs.  
Buffy sighs and turns to her "Fine. You want the truth. Fine. The love of my life—he's dead. I mean he was a vampire so technically he was already dead, but he was turned into a human. Right before he died, he was searching for me to tell me . It was something we had both been waiting for a long time... for a chance. And we finally get it, and you know what happens—a demons kills him and he bleeds to death, slowly and alone. My first love is dead, and do me a favour and don't tell me you're sorry or that you understand. You can't understand, because you're each others' first love. You've never lost that, the person your in love with. Every man I have ever loved has died or left. So please just don't say anything. And stop asking about it."

Buffy then stands and walks up the stairs to her room, when Snow tries to go after her, David grabs her arm "No. She's right. We can't understand what she's going through. This on top of everything else she's been through—if we push her now, any chance we have of her trusting us or opening up to us goes out the door. Any progress we've made with her goes down the drain."

* * *

Later while Snow and David are at Granny's Buffy walks over to Henry who is currently drawing at the table. "You plotting your escape from prison at an early age, kid?" Buffy pauses "Maybe I should have done that when I was your age, instead of just beating up the cops."  
Henry chuckles "No. They're blueprints. You talked about us getting a house, so I drew up some plans. So we can build an awesome house. Look."  
Buffy smiles "Awesome an armory. I used to have one of those you know."  
Henry grins "Really?"  
Buffy nods "I've had a few actually, first at the library, then at the magic shop, then when that went down, down in the basement of my house."  
"That's awesome."  
Buffy nods "Yeah. Had to train. So Giles built me this awesome armory/slash workout training room, in the back room of his shop. There were tons of awesome weapons, knifes axes etcetera."  
"Cool, will you show me."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Show you?"  
Henry nods "Yeah, maybe you could teach me. It could be fun."  
"I would rather you not fight."  
Henry pouts "Oh, come on."  
Buffy chuckles "We will discuss this after I get my fancy gym."  
Henry nods "Once we have the armory we will have more weapons, to protect us from Regina."

Buffy's eyes widen and she crouches next to him "She's not gonna hurt you. And if she tries she'll have to go through me."  
"She hurt Archie. What if she wants to take me back?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Not gonna happen. You know what I'm capable of. If she tries, I'll deal with her."  
Suddenly there is a knock at the door and Pongo begins to bark; scratching at the door.  
"Pongo." Buffy says as she stands as she walks over to the dog "God your acting like you've seen a ghost." Buffy pulls the door open only to reveal Archie "Holy shit."  
Archie tries to step into the house but before he can Buffy softly taps his face, seeing the odd look on his face Buffy shrugs "Sorry. When someone who is supposed to be dead show up at your door ,in my town, you need to check two things: not The First and not a ghost. Your clear. Now please explain."  
Archie walks into the room as he explains "It was Cora. She kidnapped me."  
"Archie?" Henry asks stunned as he walks towards the man.  
Archie chuckles before hugging Henry "I'm fine. I'm fine." He assures the scared boy.

* * *

 **Cleveland**

Faith walks into the conference room where Willow, Xander and Dawn were currently waiting for her. "What's up? You know I ain't got long till sun's down, was hoping to get a few shots in before the newbies."  
Willow turns to Faith "We were just a bit curious about whether or not you have anymore contact with Buffy?"  
Faith rolls her eyes "So what is I have?"  
Dawn stands "Please, Faith it's important."  
Faith sighs and sits down at the end of the table "This morning, she finally answered her phone. Seems she's kinda been in a different world for the past few weeks.  
"We need to contact her." Xander tells her "Now more than ever."  
Faith shakes her head "Can't do that Xand, I made a deal. Power don't want you guys anywhere near her. Meaning me, can't do with the spilling of locations."  
Faith sighs seeing the miserable looks on their faces "Dammit. Look I won't tell you where she is, but look, she's fine. She's happy for the first time in a long time, she's happy."  
Willow sighs sadly "Faith, this isn't about asking her to fight. It's Giles...He's sick."


	38. In The Name Of The Brother - Part 1

Buffy and David pull over in the cop car at the town line, Buffy look around as she talks on the phone "I'm at the town line. Two people down, maybe three. There's a car, pretty nagged up with Pennsylvania plates."

Buffy hangs up the phone and makes her way other to Hook who is currently lying on the ground in pain, Hook grunts in pain "Hey, beautiful." He says when he sees her "Here, I didn't think you'd notice. Ahh." Hook screams as Buffy touches his ribs "First of all shut up and second of all your ribs are broken."  
"Oh, that must be why it hurts when I laugh."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Oh, please I've had broken ribs, seven to be exact doesn't hurt that much. Stop being a wuss."  
"I'm not a bleeding wuss." Hook says as he tries to sit up "Did you see his face? His one true love gone in an instant! Just like Milah, crocodile...when you took her from me."  
Gold walks over to hook "But you took her first." He says before kicking Hook in the face.

Gold climbs on top of Hook but Buffy grabs him and lifts him off the ground "Listen up lunatic, your little girlfriend at the moment is making her first impression of you. Murderer not really gonna get you the time of day." Buffy then tosses Gold to the ground away from Hook. At that moment the ambulance shows up, "Over here!" David calls to the EMT's but as Buffy makes her way over to the other car she notices the unconscious man, she turns to the EMT's "He can wait." Buffy says gesturing to Hook "Help him. Take care of him."  
Buffy watches as the EMT's make there way other to the man "Do you know ?" Buffy asks Snow and David.  
"I've never seen him before." Snow tells him.  
"That's because he drove into town." David points out.  
"From the outside?" Snow asks terrified.  
Buffy groans "No good. Looks like Storybrooke is about to meet my world."

* * *

Buffy helps the EMT's get into the hospital and they begin to roll him into the E.R. Buffy turns to one of the nurses "Hide him."  
"What?" She asks confused.  
"Find a room and hide him, otherwise someones gonna get real creative with a walking stick. So hide him."  
As Hook is rolled around the corner Gold enters the hospital "Belle, what's going on?" He tries to ask.  
Once David spots him he blocks the wizards path "Get him out of here!" He yells as he tries to move Gold away.  
Gold tries to shove past him "No, what's happening? Belle!"  
"I'd like to know that myself." Leroy says.  
"Everybody, calm down." Whale says as he enters the room "Mr. Gold. Everything will be fine. She's in good hands here. I promise."

* * *

Buffy sits on the edge of Hook's bed waiting for him to wake, as he finally comes too Buffy sighs "Bout damn time. Thought you were gonna sleep the night away. Now where's Cora?"  
"What?" Hook asks slightly confused, he then tries to move only to find himself handcuffed to the bed.  
He sighs "Again?" He smirks "You're really into this, aren't you?"  
Hook tries to move again only to groan in pain "Damn, that hurts." He says with a chuckle.  
Buffy shrugs "You'll live. Cracked ribs, that's nothing." She stands and walks to stand by his side "Where's Cora?"  
"You look good, I must say, all 'where's Cora?" in a commanding voice. Chills."  
Buffy laughs "You have all sorts of sore places, I can make you hurt. And trust me I know from experience how to make you beg."  
Hook smiles at her again, so to make he point Buffy taps the side of his ribs, causing him to inhale sharply and hiss in pain. Buffy smiles "My bad, did I do that?"

"I have no idea where Cora is. She has her own agenda. I've been busy with the crocodile. Although I am curious about something I saw near his shop. Maybe you could help, you see I spotted a small blonde pounding on a wall."  
Buffy glares at him "None of your business."  
"Oh, come on I know that look love. You lost the man you loved and I'm guessing you just learnt whose responsible. And that rage, you have vengeance on the mind, let me go maybe I can help."  
Buffy scoffs "Sorry. My vengeance is private, as is my love live. So why don't you change the subject before I damage that pretty face."  
Hook chuckles "Fine how about my hook. May I have it back? Or is there another attachment you'd prefer?"  
"Look, pirate version of Spike, you do realise that your very chipper for someone who had his ass handed to him before getting hit—by a car."  
"Well, my ribs may be broken, but...everything else is still intact, which is more than can be said for other bad days I've had."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Yeah, you keep hitting on me your going to be having an even worse day. And that appendage you are so happy about, it will be one of the many things I remove."  
Hook chuckles "Your a spitfire. But you won't ruin this day. I did some quality damage to my foe."  
"Do you have brain damage. You hurt Belle."  
"I hurt his heart. Belle's just where he keeps it. He killed my love. I know the feeling."

"Damn what happened to him?" A voice asks.  
Buffy turns to see Whistler "Now's not the time Whistler."  
"Oh, come on kid. I've got a minute then I have to go back up there."  
Buffy sighs "What do you want?"  
Whistler just smile "Me? Personally nothing. But I thought you'd want this." Whistler tosses her a small file.  
"What's that love?" Hook asks curious.  
"Shut up." Buffy tells him before opening the file.

"It's called The Beast." Whistler tells her.  
Buffy looks down at the file and stares at the image of a rock skinned demon with horns "Damn your ugly. Wait, didn't Angel already kill him?"  
Whistler nods "Yep. But then the senior partners pulled him out of hell to kill Angel. Well actually he volunteered."  
Buffy looks up at Whistler "This is the thing that killed Angel?" She hisses. Whistler nods.  
"Where is he?" Buffy asks.  
"Some sort of demon haven in New York."  
Buffy looks down at the file and watches as tears fall onto the paper.

After a moment she looks up, as Whistler goes on "Everything's in there. Weaknesses, history etcetera. About the whole seeing Angel thing, I'm still trying."  
Buffy nods "Thank you."  
Whistler shakes his head "No probs, Kid. Also do me a favour. Make the bastard suffer."  
Buffy chuckles "Oh I plan to."  
Whistler gives her a smile before teleporting out the room.

"Looks like you may get your vengeance after all, love." Hook says with a smirk.  
Buffy turns and glares at him as he keeps going "I know, we not join me for a drink when you're done."  
Buffy rolls her eyes before walking over to his bed "Keep smiling buddy. Cause we're in very different situations. When I'm done my guy he'll be dead, yours is still up on his feet, immortal who also happens to have magic. While you're chained down. Let me put it in perspective for you, you hurt his girl, he's gonna be a bit pissed off. If I were to pick dead guy of the year. I'd pick you."  
Hook gives her a smile before Buffy turns and leaves the room.

* * *

Buffy walks over to the group currently arguing in the waiting room over the mystery guy's phone. "Hey, let me try." Buffy tells David as she takes the phone "I have a thing." Buffy tucks the file under her arm and places in her small hacking device "Oh and we got a little bit of info on the guy. There was crap in his car, his name is Greg Mendell."  
Buffy looks down at the phone, as she gets access she starts going through photos "Okay. A bunch of if you ask me slightly sad pictures of him alone at eastern seaboard tourist locations...A linkedIn account...and he tweets pictures of his food." Buffy shrugs "Looks like we have is an ordinary greg."  
Ruby looks around worried "So whatever's keep random people from stumbling into Storybrooke it's gone."  
"Anyone could drive in." David realises "Why are my instincts telling me that's a bad thing?"  
"Cause you've seen 'E.T.' or 'splash' or any other movie where they find something magical and study it to death." Leroy says "Think what'd they do to a werewolf."

Buffy who was barely listening as she stares at the closed file in her hands, answers without realising "Well when the Initiative had Oz they tested how much pain it would take to cause him to turn." Everyone turns to look at her terrified.  
Buffy shakes her head in a panic "Don't worry. Government agreed to shut the initiative down. After some words and threatening on my behalf."

Snow tries to change the subject "Oh, and his friends and family? They're going to come looking for him soon."  
Buffy sighs "Try not to overreact."  
David shakes his head "Leroy's right. We don't need outsiders here."  
"Please if there is anything you don't want here, it's demons." Buffy whispers to herself before looking at the group "Look Hook says he doesn't know where Cora is. And God knows what the crazy woman's doing or planning to do. But...after seeing how bad things could get in Sunnydale having civilians around her—it's not gonna be good for anyone."  
"We need to find Regina." Snow says "Tell her we know she was framed."  
"She's gone A.W.O.L" Buffy says slightly irritated as she has not been able to get in contact with the Mayor.  
"But what if Cora finds her first?" Snow asks panicked "I don't want to think of the damage those two would do together. This could not have come at a worse time."  
Buffy turns to Snow "Calm down okay. You're gonna crazy. Look guys gonna be patched up soon. Then poof gone."

"Not quite." Whale says as he walks over to the group "He's bleeding into his chest cavity. It's not a full flood, you know, but pretty soon he'll be drowning in his own blood."  
Buffy turns to Whale "So here's an idea. Make it stop. You are a doctor right?"  
Instead of responding Whale walks past the group and over to Gold "Gold. You fixed me. Now fix him. It will take you seconds and cost you nothing."  
"No." Gold tells him.  
"No? Just...no?"  
"I owe you nothing, Whale. I owe none of you anything, and some of you owe me. So, yeah, just...no. Oh, and point of interest—the driver? He saw me throwing some magic. So instead of trying to get him out of here, you better be hoping he dies, because if he doesn't, he's gonna be driving tour buses up and down main street. So glad I don't give a damn."  
As Gold walks off Whale sighs "Look letting him die is easy. I can do that, if that's what you decide."

* * *

"It's not really murder if we let him succumb to his injuries." Whale points out as he leads the group into a private room.  
Buffy shakes her head "I've done it before. It's murder."  
"Of course we save him." Snow says.  
"Obviously." David adds.  
"Well..." Leroy says as he enters the room.  
"Leroy!" Snow exclaims.  
"We gotta think it through. If we save him and kill the whole town, is that really better."  
Before anyone can say anything Buffy slams Leroy against the wall.  
"Buffy!" David yells as he tries to pull her away.

Buffy shoves him off and glares at Leroy "You think it's better to murder someone? Really? Have you ever killed someone? Cause I have, several people actually. I have done what your suggesting now. Trust me what your thinking of, it's murder. Guilt that will stay with you forever." Buffy shoves Leroy away from her "You know nothing! So I suggest you keep your mouth shut." Buffy turns to Whale "I suggest you sober up and get your ass in the operating room. No one's dying today." Buffy then storms out of the room, as she leaves the room she hears the Star Wars theme coming from Greg's phone "Shit."

* * *

Buffy stands in the hall and ends up punching a hole through the wall.  
"Buffy!" David says as him and Snow walk over.  
Buffy shakes her head "Not now. I don't have the patience to do this whole parent daughter crap."  
"Buffy, please. What was that about?" Snow asks.  
Buffy hits the wall again leaving a large hole in it "San Francisco. That's what is was about."  
Buffy turns to face them and tosses them Greg's phone "Someone called him." She says before walking back to the waiting room.

* * *

The group walk into the waiting room to see Buffy going through a large file "What the hell is that thing?" Leroy asks as he spots the image of The Beast.  
Buffy slams the file shut "It's personal." Buffy stands to face the group "What's going on?"  
"Same person called again." Ruby tells her as she hands Buffy the phone.  
Buffy looks down "Her, Cute."  
"Probably a girlfriend." David says.  
"We could answer it." Snow suggests "Just let her know he's okay."  
"He's not okay." Buffy reminds her.  
Ruby turns to Buffy "He's alive. We could let her know he's alive."  
Buffy shakes her head "If Willow can trace it, the police can too instantly. Why do you think I use burner phones most of the time. There's no 'find your phone thing' on a burner phone."

Suddenly the ringing stops "That settles it." Leroy says.  
Snow shakes herself "Ohh, my nerves can't take this. Is the surgery almost over?"  
Buffy sighs "I think it takes..."  
Buffy stops when she sees one of the doctors, he starts to walk away but David goes after him "W-w-whoa. Wait. Wait. Any news?"  
"No." He tells them "I was just looking for the doctor."  
Ruby steps forward shocked "He's not in the O.R.?"  
"He never came in."  
"Then page him." Buffy tells the man.  
David turns to Buffy "He was not looking so good earlier."  
Buffy tilts her head "Of course not. He's drunk off his ass. He looks like me after a night drinking with Spike."

The five of them watch as the doctor page's Whale. "He's here." Snow says as she hears the pager. Buffy walks over to the laundry basket where she find's Whale's scrubs "No, but his pager is. He's gone."

* * *

"Got the scent?" David asks Ruby as she smells Whale's scrubs.  
"Boozy." She tells him.  
"Just find him and bring him back." Buffy tells her "We'll watch the pirate and figure out options if Whale doesn't come back."  
Snow turns to the group "Maybe doc can do it." She suggests.  
Leroy laughs "Surgery?" Leroy turns to David who looks at him seriously, Leroy's eyes widen "No."  
"Maybe he didn't even run." Snow tells them "Maybe Cora grabbed him for some reason."  
David shakes his head "I don't think so. He's been in a rough place since he brought Regina's fiancé back to life."  
"Daniel?"  
Buffy turns to him "Hold on back to life. I thought that was my thing."  
"He also had his arm ripped off and put back on."  
"Cool." Leroy says.  
Snow shakes her head still confused "Wait. Daniel came back?"  
Buffy turns back to David "Who was he?"  
"Frankenstein. That's Whale. The doctor. And Daniel was his—"  
"What went on here while we were gone?" Snow demands.

"Trust me from what I seen, a lot." Whistler says as he walks into the room.  
Buffy groans "Not now, demon."  
Whistler ignores her "Hey, Buff, didn't you like fight some dweebs trying to build the perfect girl out of dead bodies for another undead guy? Very Frankenstein if you ask me."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and turns to Ruby "Go. Bring him back."  
Ruby nods before exiting the room. Buffy turns back to the demon "What now? Now is really not the time."  
"This is a one time thing. So trust me your gonna want this. I have a gift for you."  
Whistler moves out of the way and at that moment in walks Angel.


	39. In The Name Of The Brother - Part 2

"How?" Buffy whispers.  
Whistler smiles "I told the powers exactly what you told me. They agreed. But this takes a lot of power. You will only have till sunrise."  
Whistler gives her one more smile before disappearing.  
"Buffy, who is that?" Snow asks.  
Buffy doesn't answer the question she walks past the group and over to Angel. She stops has she stands in front of him "Your real?"  
Angel nod "Real and human at least for the next few hours. Buffy, I—"  
Angel is cut off when Buffy closes the distance and kisses him.

Snow and David stare in shock for several minutes before Leroy chuckles "Go slayer."  
"Shut it." David orders.  
The two parents finally pulled back to reality, quickly go over to Buffy and Angel "Buffy?" Snow tries "Buffy!" Snow says again.  
Buffy pulls away from Angel, who smiles at her "You always did say hello the best way."  
Buffy smiles before turning to her parents "Um...this is Angel."  
Snow's eyes widen "I thought he was..." Snow leans in close to Buffy "Dead." She whispers.  
Angel chuckles "I am."  
"Then how?"  
Buffy turns to them "I yelled at Whistler for a while till he agreed to get off his ass and let me say goodbye."

Angel turns back to Buffy "Buffy, I don't have long so do you think we could have some time together alone?"  
Buffy turns to her parents "Please. I just..."  
David nods "We'll call you after the surgery. Go."  
Buffy nods and smiles "Thank you."  
Angel smiles at the both before taking Buffy's hand and leaving the room.

* * *

The moment the door opens to the hotel room at Granny's, Buffy pulls Angle inside, the moment the door closes behind him Buffy pushes him against the door and kisses him.  
"Buffy maybe we shouldn't—"  
Buffy puts a finger to his lips "Your human Angel, no curse no immortality. And we only have a few hours till your gone again."  
Before she can say anything else Angel kisses her again, he then lifts her off the ground and heads for the bedroom.

* * *

A little while later Angel looks down at Buffy "You gonna tell me what happened to you?"  
Buffy groans and buries herself under the pillow "No." She mumbles.  
Angel smiles "Come on."  
Buffy shakes her head, but begins to giggle when Angel grabs her.  
"Fine." Buffy says "But if I tell you then I wanna know about what happened that night."  
Angel sighs "Alright."  
Buffy sits up and takes a deep breath "About 2 years ago, I was working at a bar in San Francisco."  
Angel raises an eyebrow "You were working at a bar?"

Buffy chuckles and taps him on the chest "I needed the money. Anyway I trusted the wrong people and ended up in a...um a demon fight ring. I was there for about 3 months, let's just say there was a lot of fighting and pain."  
"How'd you escape?" Angel asks as he runs his hands through her hair.  
Buffy hesitates "It's okay." Angel tells her "You can tell me anything."

"I...um...I broke out of my cell but before I could get to the exit the guards found me. Human guards. I ran found my way to the weapons room where they were keeping my scythe. I took it and I—I fought them. I killed seven guards that night Angel. And then I let the person reasonable for putting me there bleed to death...It was one of the worst nights of my life."  
Angel wipes the tear from her check "That pain you feel, the fear you feel when you try to trust someone it will fade you just have to be prepared to open yourself up to it."  
Buffy sighs "Okay, we've dealt with my drama your turn."  
"Not that complicated. My guess Whistler told you."  
Buffy nods "Yeah. I still hate that guy."

Angel chuckles "You're not the only one." Angel pauses "It was the night we finally defeated Wolfram and Hart. I became human and then a small portion of what was left of Wolfram and Hart used the remains of their power to resurrect The Beast, One of the few things I was never able to beat. Not even Faith could, Angelus did. I was about to get in my car to come see you when it found me and...You know the rest."

The two sit there is in silence for a while before Angel turns to her "So your parents..."  
Buffy turns to him shocked "How did you...?"  
Angel shrugs "I may watch you from time to time."  
"You know that's slightly creepy right?"  
Angel chuckles "Hey, there's not much to do up there. It's either that or watch as some moron continues to destroy my car."  
"Funny. So what about my...parents?"  
"Your mom's not upset you know." Angel tells her causing her to turn shocked  
"My mum? She is there?"  
Angel nods "Yeah. She misses you but when she found out, it didn't change anything for her. You're still her daughter. I'm guessing you're hesitant to talk."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Oh I don't need a therapist. I just need time. So can we just—"

At that moment Buffy's phone begins to ring, Buffy moves to grab her phone but Angel pulls her back "No. No. No."  
Buffy giggles "I have to go. It's Mary Margaret, the guys out of surgery."  
"Ahh, your mom."  
Buffy glares at him "Biologically speaking."  
Buffy stands and quickly slips on her clothes "You coming?"  
Angel shakes his head "Go. I'll meet you in the graveyard when your done. Good thing we didn't go back to your apartment, guessing we would have traumatised your kid.  
Buffy's eyes widen "Uh...Henry..."  
Angel smiles "He's a lot like you. I watch you know. I always knew you'd be a good mom."  
"I don't know if I am yet. I'm still getting used to it."  
Angel stands "Trust me, your good. Your mom thinks so as well. Although she's a bit upset she didn't get to meet her grandson."  
Buffy groans "She's gonna come back and haunt my ass."  
Angel nods and smiles before walking over to her and kissing her softly "Go. I'll see you soon."  
"But..."  
"Go. This town needs you."

* * *

Buffy walks into the hospital and over to the group, Snow smiles at her "Where's Angel?"  
"Wandering around the town. I'm gonna see him after this. So how did it go?" Buffy asks Whale.  
"He's got some recuperating ahead of him—a few weeks maybe, but yes. He's going to live."  
Leroy turns to the group "Telling you right now, this will come to no good."  
"Quiet, Leroy." David says.  
"I wanna talk to him." Buffy says to Whale.  
Whale nods "He's waking up now.  
"Already?" Ruby asks surprised.  
"I waited a couple of hours to tell you in case he, you know, keeled over, but so far, so good."  
Whale turns to Buffy "Miss. Summers before you go talk to him, you should know your shirt is half open."  
Buffy's eyed widen as she looks down to see her shirt only half buttoned., Buffy laughs nervously "Um..thanks." Buffy says before quickly buttoning her shirt.

David and Snow who look slightly disturbed at the thought of why their daughter's shirt was like that, turn to Whale "All right, then."  
David nods and turns to Buffy "Well, let's talk to him."  
Buffy raises a hand "Whoa look we're not going in there as a group. When I said I wanna talk to him, I meant alone. We are not in group sheriff thing. That's my job."  
Snow turns to her stunned "But we've been doing this together."

Buffy sighs "You wanna convince this guy this place is magic and weird free. In a normal town The Sheriff AKA Buffy, goes in and asks a couple questions. What she doesn't do is go in there with a school teacher and the guy that worked at the vet store, who also happen to be her biological parents."  
"That's probably true." David tells the upset Snow.  
Snow forces a smile onto her face "We'll be right here, then."  
Buffy nods and checks her shirt once more before heading out of the waiting room.

* * *

"Nurse?" Greg asks as Buffy walks into the room.  
Buffy chuckles "Funny. Sheriff Summers, actually."  
"I'm thirsty." He tells her.  
Buffy nods and walks over to the table; hands him the glass of water. "I have the stuff we found on you here." She tells him as she places the bag on the table "So, Mr. Mendell, I need to talk to you about the accident."  
"Did I hit somebody?" He asks panicked "Oh, my god. I hit someone. Is he okay?"  
"He had it coming." Buffy mutters "I mean the damage was pretty minor. He'll be just fine."  
Greg breathes in relief "Oh, thank god."  
Buffy nods and circles back to the front of the bed so she can face him "But I do need your statement about what happened. You know the jest, what you did, what you saw."  
Greg sits up "Well, I...I didn't see anything."  
"Were you not driving? Was the invisible man."  
"I was driving yeah, but..." Greg sighs "I saw the road of curse..."  
Buffy interjects "Look I just think I can put your mind to ease. If you saw..."  
"I was texting. I looked down, just for a second and when I looked back up, he was—he was right there. And he was too close to avoid, but I—I know that it's not legal in Maine."  
"It's alright." Buffy assures him "Just glad you're being honest."  
"So no charges."  
Buffy shakes her head "Just a warning this time."  
"Good, thank you. So when can I go home?"  
"As soon as the doctor says. We don't wanna keep you." Buffy says before exiting the room.

* * *

"He didn't see nothin'?" Leroy asks Buffy as she comes down the stairs.  
Buffy shakes her head "Nope. We're good. No E.T experience for any of us."  
"Oh, good." Snow sighs.  
"Now maybe things can calm down for ten minutes." David says "And we can catch our breath."  
Buffy shakes her head "Well, I have a dead ex-boyfriend who is going to disappear soon. So I gotta go."  
Buffy then quickly head out the exit towards the graveyard.

* * *

"This always was our kind of place." Buffy says as she walks over to Angel who is currently leaning against a gravestone.  
"We didn't have many other options back then." Angel says as he turns to face her.  
"Buffy, I—"  
Buffy raises her hand cutting him off "Don't. Please just don't. If you talk about that future we could have had, it's just gonna make saying goodbye that much harder."  
Angel steps closer to her and places a hand on her cheek "I wish..."  
"I know." She says quietly "Me too."  
"I know I can't stop you, but when you go after it, be careful. No weapon you have will kill it."  
Buffy looks up at him "What about the Scythe?"  
Angel shrugs "Maybe, but the most effective way is if you use apart of him. It can penetrate the skin."  
Buffy nods "I'll get him."  
Buffy looks behind Angel and sees the sun beginning to rise "No." She breathe beginning to panic "No. It's not enough time."  
"Shh." Angel soothes as Buffy begins to cry, he pulls her towards him and hugs her tightly.

Buffy quickly pulls back and pulls Angel into a passionate kiss after a minute they pull away "It's not enough time." She breathes.  
"I know." Angel says sadly "I love you."  
"I love you."  
Angel lifts her chin so he can look into her eyes "Close your eyes."  
Buffy nods and slowly closes her eyes as she does she feels Angel place a kiss on her lips.

After a moment Buffy opens her eyes only to see Angel gone, Buffy closes her eyes as tears begin to fall. She then slips to the ground and leans against the grave as she continues to cry.

* * *

An hour later Buffy walks into the apartment where Henry is currently eating while Snow and David are in the kitchen "Hey." Buffy says.  
"Buffy." Snow says as she smiles at her daughter "Do you want some cereal?"  
"Where's Angel?" David asks.  
Buffy stays silent for a moment before answering "He's gone. At sunrise he um—"  
"Whose Angel?" Henry asks.  
"Someone who is gone now." She tells him "So I'm guessing they filled you in."  
Henry nods "Mr. Gold and Captain Hook had a fight. A Whale is Frankenstein, who isn't in the book."  
Buffy looks at him confused "So?"  
"That means he's from another land. With different stories." Henry explains "If the curse went to places with other stories, then who knows who else is in this town?"  
Buffy sighs "I know of one who no longer is." Buffy turns to her parents who look at her sadly "I'm gonna go to bed." Buffy says, she walks over to the stairs but stops when she hears the knocking at the door.

Before she can answer in it, in strolls Mr. Gold Buffy groans "Gold now is not the time. I have had a very bad day, so leave before I drop you out head first."  
"Sorry, no can do." Gold says "You remember that favour you owe me, ?"  
"Yeah."  
"I'm cashing it in."  
Buffy shakes her head "I...After today I..."  
"You do honour your agreements, don't you? I need to find someone, so we're leaving today. Pack a bag."  
"Leaving?" Snow asks shocked.  
"Well, where?" Henry asks curious.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Wait. Find someone? Who?"  
"My son." Gold tells them "It has to be today because every minute I'm here, is a minute closer to me killing Hook. So it's really best for all concerned if I leave, and you're gonna come with me. Oh, and, um, we have a long history, so know this, and know it to be true. If any harm comes to Belle while I'm gone, I'm killing all of you." Gold smiles "I'll see you at noon." He says to Buffy before leaving the room.


	40. Tiny

**San Francisco - 2 Years Ago**

"This is ridiculous." Buffy tells Chris.  
"Trust me." He says as he readjusts the blind fold before leading her into the next room. "Ready?"  
Buffy huffs "I was ready 30 minutes ago when you put us in the car. You know if you were gonna do the whole blindfold thing, why didn't you do that after we got in the car."  
"Because it could have ruined the whole surprises. Now 3, 2, 1."  
At one Chris pulls off the blindfold to reveal a single dinner table surrounded by candles. "Chris." Buffy says shocked.  
"Look I know you apposed to celebrating anything but, I figured you'd make an exception for your birthday."  
Buffy's eyes widen "How did you find out it was my birthday? No one knows that. Not even my boss knows that."  
Chris smirks "I may have asked Jenny. She squealed."  
Buffy groans "Oh, I'm gonna kill her."  
"Sarah, come on. I promise we will never do this again but just this once, humour me?"  
Buffy sighs "There better be chocolate."  
Chris chuckles "Of course."

Chris takes Buffy's hand and pulls her towards the table, he pulls out her chair for her and once she is seated moves to his own. Chris hands her a glass of wine, Buffy chuckles "I'll admit one of the better birthday's I've had. No one's died so this is good."  
Buffy takes a sip of wine as she listens to Chris "Your birthday's couldn't have been that bad could they?"  
Buffy smiles "That depends on what you define as bad..."  
Buffy is about to continue when she her eyesight starts to become very blurred and she begins feeling fait, she looks down at the wine before looking up at Chris "What did you—"  
"I'm sorry, Buffy." Chris says as Buffy falls out of her chair and to the ground.

* * *

"Oww." Buffy moans as she slowly comes back to consciousness, she slowly sits up from her place on the ground. When she looks around the room she realises she's no longer in a private restaurant but rather a dirty cell.  
"Ah. I see sleeping beauty is awake." A red headed woman says as she walks towards Buffy.  
Buffy glares at her "Thanks for the compliment. Now wanna tell my where I am now."  
The woman pouts "And here I thought we could get to know each other. I'm Crystal by the way."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow at the woman "Okay...Crystal. Wanna answer my question. Please."

Buffy forces a smile on her face causing Crystal to smile "Well when you ask so nicely of course. We here call it 'Interfectorem Aaemonium ring' Basically you, the slayer, will be placed inside a dome where you will face off against some of the world's fiercest demons. It's actually rather simple." Buffy's eyes widen "huh?"

* * *

 **Storybrooke, Maine – Present Day**

"Ready to go, Miss Summers?" Gold asks as Buffy opens to door.  
Buffy sighs "Give me a sec." Buffy walks back into the living room and bends down and places the scythe in her bag.  
"Do you think we'll be cold where we're going, or warm?" Henry asks as he walks into the room with his suitcase.  
Buffy shrugs "I'm a California girl normally layers don't apply to me but as I don't know where we are going yet I suggest layers."  
"I thought the terms of our agreement were quite clear." Gold says "You owe me a favor—you alone."  
Buffy glares at him "I helped Regina and know with Cora around and no word from the mayor there is no way I'm leaving him by himself. So either we both go, or we both stay. Your choice."  
Gold glares at her for a moment before nodding "Then we'll have to purchase another plane ticket, won't we?" Buffy raises an eyebrow "Wait. We're flying?"  
"Don't worry. I'm covering expenses, even the new ones. So I suggest Ms. Summers you leave your little axe here."  
Buffy shakes her head "Not gonna happen."  
"Then how do you suggest we get past security."  
Buffy smirks "I'm not an idiot Gold. The paper work I had expired yes, but I may have had a witch place a glammer on the scythe. So believe me it's will be fine."

David walks down the stairs and hands Buffy her other bag before turning to Gold "All right, Gold, you're going out there with my family. Just know if anything happens to 'em—"  
"Then you'll what?" Gold asks  
"Cross the town line? And David Nolan will hunt me down in his animal rescue van?"  
"I'll be devastated." David says simply, surprising Gold "This isn't a threat. It's a request. Take care of 'em." Gold nods "I promise no harm will come to your family. After all...we have a deal. And as long as Ms. Summers doesn't try to kill me once we pass the town line I will uphold my end."

* * *

 **Cleveland**

Faith is packing her things when Dawn enters the room "Hey." She says. Faith zips up her bag and turns to Dawn "Hey kid."  
"Not a kid and you almost ready?" Faith shrugs "Ready to watch jeeves die? Ready as can be."  
Dawn nods "Have you told Buffy yet."  
"Not yet. I'm gonna call her once we land in London. Let her know." Dawn smiles "Ok. Well just let Willow know when Buffy's ready and she can teleport her over here."

Dawn starts to leave the room but Faith's voice stops her "She's not gonna stay you know."  
Dawn turns to her confused "What?"  
"Buffy." Faith explains "She won't stay. She's going through a lot right now. So you need to prepare for that. You need to make sure they don't keep her around."  
"Well, why not? We are her family, her home."  
"Not anymore Dawn." Faith tells the upset 21 year old "B's got a new life. And she's getting to know her parents. she won't stay here. If she comes, it may give you the chance to mend what's between the two of you and the scoobies but she's not the person she was. She doesn't want to be around demons and vampires anymore."  
Faith sighs seeing the hurt look on Dawn's face "Come on we're gonna miss our flight."

* * *

 **Storybrooke, Maine**

"So, where we going?" Henry asks as he sits in the backseat of Mr Gold's car.  
Buffy shrugs "Mr brooding and silent here still hasn't let me in on that little detail."  
"Logan International Airport." Gold tells them.  
"We're talking about after the flight." Buffy informs him.  
"Let's just take things one step at a time, shall we?"  
Buffy nods before looking down at Gold's scarf "So you really think that thing's gonna work?"  
Gold shrugs "Well, if it doesn't and I revert to my cursed self, we're all gonna have some problems. I'll work."

The three of them watch as they approach the town line nervously, as they pass it Buffy looks over at Gold "So?"  
Henry and Buffy wait patiently for his answer.  
"My name is Rumplestiltskin." He says "and we're gonna find my son."

* * *

 **Logan International Airport**

Buffy stares at the plane ticket stunned 'New York' she read over and over. She couldn't believe it, this may be the chance she's been waiting for, to get The Beast.  
Buffy is shaken out of her fantasy when she hears Henry talking to Gold "Have you ever been outside of Storybrooke before, Mr. Gold."  
"No."  
Henry shrugs "Are you nervous?"  
"No." Gold says again.  
"Are you worried about meet your son?" Henry asks curious.  
"No, Henry, I'm fine." Gold snaps.  
Buffy looks over at Henry "Lets get with the talk-y later kay, kid? We're next."

Henry nods and continues to move in the line "It must be really hard not to use magic, being like everyone else." Henry points out as he places his things in the bin at security.  
"Shoes as well." Buffy tells Gold as she removes her jacket.  
Gold stares at her disgusted "How terribly uncivilised."  
Once Henry has gone through the scanner Buffy looks over to see a guard talking to Gold "Uh, scarf and the cane go in the basket."  
"What?" Gold asks stunned.  
"Scarf and cane go in the basket. The guard repeats.  
Gold turns to Buffy panicked "I can't."  
"You gotta. Or you're screwed."  
The man behind them begins to get irritated "It ain't rocket science, buddy. You ever been on a plane before?"  
Gold's eyes flare with rage "Have you ever been impaled upon a cane before?"

Buffy grabs the cane and turns to the man apologetically "Sorry my...father's a bit of a nervous flier. Doesn't help when he has to see his ex-wife tomorrow so he's a little nervous. Sorry."  
Gold raises an eyebrow at Buffy "Your father?"  
"What would you prefer? Gramps?" Buffy asks sarcastically before lowering her voice "Just put the shawl in the bin. I'll help you."  
Gold shakes his head panicked "If I let this go, I could forget who I am."  
"No gonna happen."

Gold begins to breath heavily as he slowly removes the shaw as he walks towards the scanner Buffy helps him balance and the moment she passes through after him she quickly grabs the bin and places the shaw back around his neck.  
Gold exhales relieved, before Buffy can say anything Henry's voice cuts her off "Guys, there's a cinnabons here!" He says excitedly before running off.

* * *

Buffy and Henry watch as Gold continues to pace back and fourth "So I'm guessing all that pacing is making you hunger." Buffy says.  
"NO." Gold tells her.  
Buffy sighs "What's bugging you?"  
"Stop asking me that." Gold tells her sharply. He pauses "I'll be right back." He says before walking off.  
Buffy sighs before grabbing her phone, she turns to Henry "Henry, I just gotta make a phone call stay here."  
Henry nods "You got it." He says before turning back to his food.

Buffy walks away enough so he won't hear but close enough that she can still keep an eye on him, she then brings the phone to her ear.  
"B?" Faith asks surprised "I was just about to call you."  
Buffy cuts in "Look I only have a minute, so I promise I will call you back so you can tell me whatever you want but I need to tell you something."  
Faith sighs "What's wrong B?"  
"I found out who killed Angel?"  
Buffy hears Faith gasp in shock which was rare "How?"  
"Angel told me." She tells her simple.  
Faith's jaw opens "What-how-what?"  
"I'll explain another time, it's complicated, but I know you did and where they are."  
"You're gonna go after him." Faith realises.  
Buffy chuckles "Am I that transparent?"  
"Pretty much. So who did it?"  
Buffy hesitates "The Beast." She mumbles.  
"The Beast!" Faith exclaims "B, you can't beat him. I'll come help."  
"Faith I'll be fine. I know how to kill him Angel told me plus I have the scythe, I'll be fine."  
Buffy turns to see her plane starting to board "Dammit, Faith I got to go my flight is boarding I'll call you later."  
"Wait, B—"  
Before Faith could finish Buffy hangs up the phone and heads back to Henry.

* * *

Buffy turns to Henry as they prepare for take off "You good, kid?"  
Henry smiles "You kidding? A trip with you, first plane ride, and we're going on a quest like in the book. The only thing that could make this day better..." Henry lifts up the cinnabon "...is more frosting."  
Buffy chuckles before taking a bite out of the food "I'm very tempted to keep this for myself."  
Henry shakes his head "Nope." Before pulling the box out of her grasp.  
Buffy smiles before she leans back in her chair, she looks over at Gold and notices the bandage around Gold's knuckles "It's gonna be all right." She assures him "We're gonna find your kid."  
Gold nods "I know."  
 _"Welcome, folks..." The woman says over the P.A "..to Ajira airlines regenial fight 53, non stop to New York City our fight time tonight is 42 minutes. Please sit back, relax and enjoy the ride."_


	41. Manhattan - Part 1

**New York, City**

"Come on Kid, move your butt to bed." Buffy tells him as they enter the hotel room "We start the search tomorrow."  
Henry nods and goes into one of the bedrooms, as he closes the door Buffy reaches into her bag and pulls out her red leather trousers as wells as a black vest.  
Once she is changed Henry walks back into the room "Mom? You going somewhere?"  
Buffy sighs "Henry sit down."  
Henry nods and sits down; Buffy crouches in front of him "Do you remember when Whistler showed up in Storybrooke?"  
"Yeah, and he trapped you up in a bubble but you fought your way out. It was awesome." He grins.  
Buffy chuckles softly "I guess. But he told me that someone I care about very much...he was killed. Anyway before we left Storybrooke Whistler came back, he found out who killed my friend."  
Henry's eyes widen "You're gonna go after them. You can't you'll get hurt."  
Buffy shakes her head trying to reassure him "No, look the person that hurt him is a demon and remind me what's my job title?"  
Henry slowly smiles "Vampire slayer."  
Buffy grins "See it's all in the name, a girl meant to stop demons and all the gross monsters. So I'll be fine I know how to beat this guy and I will. I promise."  
Henry nods and hugs her "Just come back." He begs.  
Buffy hugs him back for a moment before pulling away and moving the hair out of his eyes "I always do. Now you will not leave this room do you understand me?"  
Henry nods "Absolutely."  
Buffy grins and stands "Good. I'm gonna put a protection spell on the door though just to keep you safe."  
Henry raises an eyebrow "I thought you weren't magic girl?"  
"I'm not." Buffy chuckles "But apparently Faith and Angel thought I may get into trouble after Sunnydale so they made sure I had a few vials. This is my last."  
"What happened to the others?"  
Buffy laughs "I only had three, the first two I used within the first month after I left. I was a bit paranoid."  
Buffy grabs her bag and slips in the scythe before turning back to her son "Alright, time for bed come on."

* * *

Buffy walks into the demon bar and chuckles when she sees the bartender "Well, look who it is." She says.  
Willy turns to her "Slayer?" He says rather loudly causing several of the demons and vampires in the bar to quickly exit "Slayer. What you doing in New York?"  
Buffy walks over and takes a seat at the bar "Business. What about you? I figured you'd be done with the whole demon bar thing."  
Willy shrugs "It's good money. Demons actually pay well."  
"I guess they do. I mean all that killing they're bound to pick up a couple wallets from time to time."  
Willy chuckles nervously "Yeah well rules still apply in here, no violence no killing."  
Buffy nods "Good to know. Know the reason I'm here, I need to know where the demon haven is. The one where the beast is."  
Willy's eyes widen "I can't tell you that, that is very very secretive."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I'm gonna have to hit you aren't I?"  
Willy nods "Just not too hard. But make it look real."  
Buffy raises her fist and Willy yells "I didn't even do it yet." Buffy sighs annoyed.  
Willy shakes his head "Oh, right. Ok I'm ready."  
Buffy punches him in the face causing him to cry out in pain "God that hurts. I thought I said not so hard."  
"That was my warning shot. Now spill."  
"You got is missy." Willy leans in close to her "Last I heard haven was on Upper West Side."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Upper west side? Since when do Demon's have trust funds?"  
"Look I don't know much, but the demon you're looking for is staying in a warehouse in that area but it's clocked, only something with magic can find it."  
Buffy sighs "unfortunately I fit into that category now, how do I find it?"  
"If you have magic, you'll be able to feel it. A witch told me she got a dark feeling like she could sense the bad mojo coming out of the place."  
Buffy nods in understanding "Thanks Willy."

Buffy freezes when she hears Willy "This bout Angel?"  
"Yeah. The Beast killed him. I'm gonna return the favour."  
Willy offer her a supportive smile "Good luck to you. I hope you get the bastard."

* * *

Buffy walks around the Upper West side for almost an hour and half before she begins to get angry and thrustrated "You have got to be kidding me. This is ridiculous." She mutters to herself.  
Buffy stops and kicks the side of a trashcan "Come on darkness. Help me out a bit here."  
Buffy sighs and takes a deep breath and closes her eyes letting her self relax, she slowly lets her defences fall and listens carefully to her surroundings.  
As she stands there, she starts to sense something bad coming from down the street. She slowly moves towards it and the feeling in her gut gets stronger and stronger until she is completely sure that whatever is in there is very bad.  
Buffy stops in an alley way and slowly walks towards the brick wall at the end of the alley as she stops in front of it she takes a deep breath "Please let this work. Please let this work." She repeats over and over again before she places her hand on the wall, as her hand touches the wall it disappears behind it "Yatzy." She breaths before walking through the wall.

* * *

Buffy walks silently through the rotting warehouse and tightens her grip on the scythe as she makes her way down the stairs. When she hears voices coming towards her she begins to panic and looks for an escape, when she spots the vent above her, she jumps up and climbs inside.  
Buffy crawls through the vents looking down at all the room hoping to spot The Beast.  
Buffy freezes as she looks through one of the vent grates to see a vampire being thrown in the hall, The Beast walks into the hall and lifts the vampire up by the neck and rips the vampires head clear off his body.  
The vampire turns to dust and The Beast merely wipes the dust off his hand before going back into his room.  
Buffy begins the crawl through the vent again but to her surprise something bashes a hand through the vent grabbing Buffy's ankle and dragging her down.

Buffy groans in pain as The Beast wraps it's arm around her neck and lifts her off the ground "Hello, child."

Buffy glares at him "Hi." She responds before shoving his hand off her, she kicks the Beast in the chest, she then delivers several punches to his gut before sending a sucker punch to his face. Buffy pauses when she sees the demon barely feel anything, she punches him in the face again and jumps up elbowing him in the face. The beast growls and punches Buffy in the stomach sending her crashing through the large wooden box on the other side of the room. Buffy groans and spots the scythe by the now destroyed vent on the other side of the room  
"Crap." She mutters before The Beast walks over and yanks her off the ground, Buffy shoves him off ducks as he throws out his fist she punches him in the stomach, then places her foot on his knee to push herself up in the air, where she does a flip before landing back on her feet. Buffy swings her leg up knocking the best in the face. She goes in for another punch but he merely grabs her arm before throwing her against the ceiling, before slamming her onto the ground. Buffy tries to stand but the Beast walks over and continues to hit her over and over again, Buffy struggles and falls again when the beast stamps on her back. The beast kicks her in the gut sending her across the room.

Buffy rolls onto her side as the beast walks over "This is all you are? The last slayer I faced was weaker, but I had heard that you were the carrier of true power. But I see none. You are weak just like Angelus was weak when I dealt with him."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "What is it with bad guys monologuing all the time."  
The beast starts to move towards her but Buffy turns to the left where the scythe was now lying next to her, Buffy grabs the scythe and flips herself off the ground and swings the scythe at the beast. The beast grabs the end of the scythe and tries to throw Buffy but she goes into a side arial kicking him in the face. She yanks the scythe from his grasp and swings it at his stomch she sends a double kick to his chest and then a roundhouse before again swinging the scythe, as she does the beast tries to block it but it slices roughly through his skin slicing a pointed end off. Buffy ducks the incoming punch and grabs piece of rock flesh before rolling on the ground away from the beast. She then runs up behind him and drives the rock into his back. "Angel told me that only a piece of yourself could kill you, whose weak now ass hat?"  
Buffy watches as The Beast's body implodes from within leaving only ashes and rocks.

* * *

Buffy walks back into the hotel room and checks on Henry before walking into her own bedroom, she walks into the bedroom and stares at her blood covered face, she flinches as she cleans her forehead where there is now a large cut, oozing blood. Buffy grabs the first aid box from her bag and slowly begins to sew up all her wounds.  
After she had showered and bandaged up the injured she slowly makes her way back into the bedroom, she sits on the edge of the bed and clutches the ring around her necklace as tears fall.


	42. Manhattan - Part 2

The next morning Buffy Gold and Henry are sitting in the cab on the way to the address Gold gave them.  
Gold turns to Buffy "What happened to your face Miss. Summers?" He asks gesturing to the healing scar on her forehead.  
Buffy sighs "You have your agenda here. I had mine. Let's just leave it at that."  
Henry looks over at Buffy "Did you do it?"  
Buffy nods and smiles "I did it."

The car comes to a stop and the three climb out of the cab and Buffy notices Gold freeze as he stares at the building "What's wrong?" She asks "This is the right place?"  
"Yes, it is." Gold tells her as he continues to stare.  
Buffy sighs "Let me guess this is a surprise visit. Well maybe he likes surprises."  
Buffy and Henry head into the building, Gold following them.

"No Baelfire." Henry tells the adults as he stares at the buzzers for each apartment.  
Buffy shrugs "Not exactly the name someone would used if their trying to stay unnoticed." Buffy turns to Gold "Your magic globe didn't give you an apartment number?"  
"It doesn't work that way." He explains.  
"Do any of these names mean anything to you?" Henry asks.  
Gold continues to stare intently at the names "Well. Names are what I traffic in, but sadly, no."  
Buffy looks over the names when she spots the blank one "Here's your boy."  
"No. Or it could just be vacant."  
Buffy chuckles "I know about hiding and finding people that don't wanna be found. I was one. Trust me that's your boy."  
Buffy presses the button "U.P.S. package for 407."  
The line disconnects, Henry raises an eyebrow "Maybe you should've said FedEx."  
Buffy's head shots to face the door as she hears someone running down the fire escape "He's running." She tells Gold before heading outside.

Buffy spots the man climbing down the fire escape "That—that favour you owe me..." Gold says drawing her attention "This is it. Get him to talk to me. I-I can't run."  
Buffy sighs "Fine. Watch Henry."

Buffy then takes off running after the man, Buffy sees him run into an alley and smirks knowing she can easily catch him due to her increased speed. She goes around the corner and as she reaches the alley she grabs the man as he tries to run pasts her and throws him against the wall causing him to fall to the ground. Buffy smirks "Don't try and outrun me. Not actually a possibility. Well for a hum—"  
Buffy freezes as the man looks up stunned "No. Neal?"  
Neal slowly smiles "Buffy?"  
Neal slowly stands "Wow you're strong. I don't understand. What are you doing here?"  
Buffy glares at him angrily "No. You don't get to ask questions."  
"What?" Neal asks confused.  
Buffy just continues to glare at him "I suggest you start speaking before I start getting testy. And no bull, I want the truth. Are you Gold's son?"  
Neal just shakes his head more confused "What are you talking about? Who's Gold?"  
Buffy shakes her head in disbelief before punching him in the face causing him to fall several feet away and land on the ground.  
Neal looks up at her stunned and shocked "What the hell?"  
Buffy ignores him "You sick son of a bitch. You played me. You're from that place. Both of you played me, you and Gold."  
Neal struggles to stand but as he does her ties to calm her "Buffy, slow down. What are talking about? Who's Gold?"  
"Your father. Rumplestiltskin."  
Neal's eyes widen "He's here?"  
Buffy scoffs "What else would I be doing in New York?"  
"You brought him to me?! Why would you do that?!" Neal yells.

Buffy glares at him "Hey! If anyone gets to be pissed it's me! You're just lucky you've only got one black eye so far!" Buffy pauses as she takes a breath "Did you know who I was, where I was from, the whole time? Oh let me guess it was some sort of sick, twisted plan right? Just for kicks."  
Neal interjects "Buffy, do not—"  
Buffy cuts him off "No! You don't speak till I say so! I want the truth, no more of your bullshit lies!"  
"Fine! We—we gotta get off the street. We can't do it here. We're out in the open. I spent a lifetime running from that man. I'm not gonna let him catch me." Neal pauses and looks around "There's a bar down the street. We can talk there."  
Buffy stares at him in disbelief "I'm not drinking with you. Just get on with it."  
"No..bar's better. You can..keep yelling at me when we get there. I would appreciate it if you didn't hit me anymore. Didn't realise you had such a right hook."  
Buffy groans "Shut it. Fine you wanna talk in a bar. We'll go to Willy's, at least then if you take off and leave me with the bill he'll pay for it. Then I have another reason to kick your ass."  
Neal's eyes widen "Willy's? How do you know bout that place?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I lived in Sunnydale dumbass, now move it."  
"Sunnydale? So you know—"  
Buffy cuts him "Yeah. I know a lot of things."

* * *

Buffy pushes the door open to Willy's "Slayer!" Willy says loudly "Slayer. Back so soon."  
Neal looks over at Buffy "What's he talking about?"  
Buffy doesn't even glance at him "Non of your concern." Buffy walks over to a table and the demons at the next table quickly stare at her terrified before exiting the bar.  
"So what can I do for you Miss. Summers?"  
Buffy turns to him "A beer, for him. A scotch for me."  
Willy nods "Of course anything for you Miss. It's on the house." Willy starts to head back to the bar but freezes "Did you get The Beast?"  
Buffy gives him a soft smile "I got him. He's nothing but a pile of ash and rocks."  
Willy smiles "You're a good kid. Angel would be proud. You did good."  
"Whose Angel?" Neal asks.  
Buffy glares at him "I suggest you avoid that subject otherwise I'm gonna be very tempted to leave you here alone with them." She gestures to the two demons in the corner.

Neal gulps "Well, what do you wanna know, Buffy? You want the truth? Ask away."  
"Alright. Did you know about me? That I wasn't who I thought I was when we met?"  
Neal shakes his head "If I had, I wouldn't have gone near you."  
Buffy scoffs "You really are a class act, aren't you?"  
"I was in hiding. I came here to get...a-away from...all that crap."  
Buffy nods "So if you didn't know, then you were just getting your kicks off by setting me up. Let me guess you figured I was 15, they won't do much to me so what's the harm."  
Near shakes his head and tries to explain "I wasn't using you. When we met, I didn't know. I found out."  
"How?"  
"When I went to sell the watches...I ran into a friend of yours—August."  
Buffy's eyes widen and fill with rage "So let me guess this straight, I almost went to juvie and ended up with theft on my permanent record because Pinocchio told you to leave me?"  
"Buffy—"  
Buffy shakes her head "Don't."  
Neal looks down at his hands ashamed "I-I was, um, I was tr—I was trying to help you."  
"Yeah, cause throwing me to the wolves was a great idea."  
"I was trying to help you get home."  
Buffy ignores him and continues with her questioning "SO you're telling me that us meeting...was just a coincidence or do the Powers That Be really just get a laugh out of screwing with my life?"  
"My father wanted you to break the curse. Us meeting could have stopped it. Maybe it was fate."  
"Well I've had enough of fate. Fate has really screwed me over, death, pain etceteria."

Neal sighs "You know, there's not a ton about my father that I remember that doesn't suck. But he used to tell me that there are no coincidences, which is exactly what you used to say. Everything that happens happens by design, and there's nothing we can do about it. Forces greater than us conspire to make it happen. Fate, destiny—"  
Buffy cuts him off "Yeah I know all about fate and destiny, I wrote the freaking book. And you know what I don't give a shit. Destiny and fate have done nothing but screw me over, hell I even died twice because of fate.  
Neal's eyes widen "What—how?"  
Buffy ignores him "And you know what else apparently fate turned the man I loved back into a human only to have him be killed by a demon. Who I killed last night. That's what fate and destiny have done for me, so don't you dare sit there are try to justify everything by using fate as an excuse."  
Neal looks at her sadly with guilt in his eyes "Maybe something good came from us being together."  
"No. I just got a record and ended up in Sunnydale. Non of that matters though." Buffy downs her drink and stands "Come on. I made a deal with your father I'd bring you to him."  
Neal's eyes widen in shock "You made a deal with him?"  
"Yep. And I'm upholding my end."  
"No, Buffy, you don't have to. You know that."  
Buffy smirks "I know."  
"Okay, so this should be really easy for you. Tell him that you lost me. Tell him you can't find me. You do that...you'll never have to see me again."

* * *

"Wait. Gold's son is Henry's Father?" Snow asks Buffy stunned.  
Buffy shakes herself before bringing the phone back to her ear "I know, it's gross and it's icky. And trust me the millions of question you have, well my Q and A would take at least a month. But that's a problem for another day as right now I have no freaking idea what to do. Faith's not answering and she would normally make some weird comment about beating him to death which I would laugh out before having an epiphany about what to do."  
"Please tell me you're not calling to ask me to tell you to keep it from him."  
"Henry thinks his dad is dead." Buffy explains "I didn't tell just like he didn't tell me about you both because he wanted to protect me. I just wanna do the same.  
"No matter what this man did, Henry has a right to know who his father is."  
Buffy sighs "Should've called Faith. She would have beat him till he bleed for me so I wouldn't have to do this."  
"Buffy, the truth about your parents—Buffy, you of all people should know how important that is."  
Buffy scoffs "Yeah and I also know how much it can hurt. I'm not being mean I just mean—"  
"I understand." Snow assures her.  
"I don't want Henry to get hurt." Buffy says her voice breaking "I just wanna protect him." Buffy pauses "I can't deal with this today after Angel dying I just—"  
Buffy sighs "I'm gonna go."  
Buffy hangs up the phone quickly and heads back inside the bar.

* * *

Buffy walks into the building where she finds Gold and Henry "Hey."  
"Did you find him?" Gold asks.  
Buffy shakes her head "He hopped on a train, I'm not faster than those. I'm sorry."  
Gold angrily starts hitting all the buttons on the entrance pad "Gold chill. What are you doing?" Buffy asks.  
Suddenly a loud buzzing noise goes off and the gate opens "I'm finding my son." Gold says before heading inside.  
"He's gone. Could be on his way to Atlantic City for all we know."  
"But he lives here. At some point he'll be back. And I'll be waiting."  
Buffy follows Gold through the hall "Hey you can't just break in."  
"Yeah, well, actually, that's something I'm adept at."  
Buffy sighs "First of all that's illegal here and he's might not come back."  
"Okay. Finding people and whatever else is what you do, Ms Summers. I'm simply going to assist you as I assume you would normally just break down the door."  
Buffy shrugs "Well actually yes but—"  
"There may be information in here—" Gold tells her "Who he is, what he does, who he loves."  
Buffy tries to use reason "Again I say illegal, in this world we have laws."  
"I'll be lookout." Henry tells her.  
"No, I..." Buffy turns back to Gold "You could get arrested."  
"Then my son will have to testify against me, and we will be reunited."  
Gold finished opening the lock and pushes the door open.

Buffy and Henry follow Gold into the apartment "Come on, please." Buffy tries "We really shouldn't be here. Plus it's kinda gross." She says as she looks around.  
"I don't think he's listening." Henry tells her.  
"When does he ever listen." Buffy says causing Henry to chuckle. Buffy closes the door and looks around when she spots the dreamcatcher on the window. Buffy by no control of her own makes her way over to the dreamcatcher and picks it up off the window "You find something, dearie?" Gold asks.  
Buffy shakes her head "Nope. I just used to have something that looked exactly like this." Buffy places the dreamcatcher back down and starts looking at the shelf.  
Gold just watches her intently "What aren't you saying dearie?"  
"What are you talking about?"  
"You saw something didn't you? Tell me!"  
Buffy sighs and turns to Henry "Henry go wait in the bathroom."  
Henry tries to argue "But I can help—"  
"Henry, Now!" Henry nods and slowly makes his way out the room.

Once he's gone Buffy turns back to Gold "Look everything here is useless, guys worse than a ghost."  
"What, you think me a fool? You're holding back. I wanna know what and why."  
"I'm not holding back—" She argues.  
Gold steps towards her "Did he tell you something? Did he tell you something!"  
"Do not yell at me! I am not one of your little victims!"  
"You tell me, or I'm gonna make you tell me."  
Buffy glares at him "Don't threaten me. I've dealt with a lot worse than you ,don't think I won't take you down even if you don't have magic here."  
"I don't need magic."  
"I could knock you down with a tap, so don't push me."  
"We had a deal!" He exclaims "A deal! No one—no one breaks deals with me!"  
"Stop!" Neal yells as he runs into the room "Leave her alone."

Gold breaks into a smile "Bae. You came back for me."  
Neal shakes his head "No. I came to make sure you didn't hurt her. I've seen what you do to people who break deals, she may be able to take care of herself but I don't trust you."  
Gold looks at him his expression broken "Please, Bae, just let me talk."  
Neal interjects "I have no interest in talking to you. You can go."  
"I'm not going anywhere."  
"Get out of my apartment!"  
"Neal..." Buffy tries but he cuts her off.  
"Buffy, I got this."  
Buffy sighs "Shit." She mutter realising that Gold was now putting the pieces together.  
"You two know each other. You two know each other, how?"  
Buffy hesitates before turning to Gold "You made me run after him and ruin a good pair of heels."  
"No, no, no. Stop it! You're lying. How do you two know each other?!"  
"Mom?" Henry says as he enters the room "Wh-what's going on?"  
Buffy begins to panic and places her hands on his shoulder "Hey."  
"Who's this?" Neal asks confused.  
"My son."  
"What?"  
Henry glances over at Neal "Is that Bealfire?"  
Buffy ignores the question "Henry, look could you please stay in the other room for a while longer, okay? Come on."  
Henry nods and Buffy leads Henry towards the other room "Wait." Neal asks her "H-How old are you?" He asks Henry.  
"Just ignore him." Buffy tells her son.  
"How old are you, kid?!"  
Henry turns around to face him "11. Now why is everyone yelling?"  
Neal looks over at Buffy "He's 11?"  
"Mom?" Henry asks confused.  
"Is this my son?"  
Henry shakes his head "No. My dad was a fireman. He—he died."  
Buffy takes a deep shaky breath and makes her way over to Henry, "That's what you t-told me." Henry tells her "You said..."  
Neal glances between Buffy and Henry "Is this...my son?"

Buffy moves the hair out of Henry eyes and sighs "Yes." Henry's eyes widen and he looks at her upset before climbing out the window and going up the fire escape.  
"Henry." Buffy calls as she follows him "Henry?"

* * *

"So that's him."  
Buffy nods "Yeah."  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
Buffy takes a deep breath "Henry, I was 15 years old when I met him, he's a criminal, a bad guy and he hurt me. I figured I'd never see him again, I never wanted to."  
"What did he do?"  
"Something bad enough that I would keep this a secret. You know I don't like keeping secrets from you, that's why I told you about the demon that hurt my friend. But this was something, I didn't want to face."  
"I could have taken it, you know. The truth."  
Buffy nods "I know that. But I couldn't he was a part of my life that I try to forget. But more importantly I wanted to do what you did for me, I wanted to protect you."  
Henry sighs "I did the same thing so I know why, but I wanna meet my dad."

* * *

Buffy climbs in through the window and walks over to Neal "He wants to meet you."  
"You weren't gonna tell me bout him." Neal says slightly pissed.  
Buffy shrugs "No, I wasn't. I don't trust you, let alone with my son."  
"Yeah, well, he's my kid, too, so you don't get to make that decision by yourself anymore."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "You wanna be a dad, great, go talk to him, then."  
Neal inhales sharply as he looks over at Henry he is about to make his way towards him but Buffy blocks his way "But...don't hurt him."  
"Trust me, I'm not gonna do to him what he did to me."  
"And what you did to me."  
Neal exhales "Okay. I get it. We're all messed up. What do you say we try to avoid that with him? All right."  
Buffy watches him walks over to Henry "Fine."


	43. The Queen Is Dead

**San Francisco – 2 Years Ago**

Buffy looks up to see a man pulling a needle out of her arm "Get up." He tells her before grabbing her arm and pulling her up, Buffy tries to fight him off but she feels very lightheaded.  
"It won't last long." He informs her, as he drags her out of her cell and through the hallway.  
Before Buffy knows it she is shoved onto the ground, Buffy groans "Jackass." She mutters before hearing the door behind her slam shut.  
Buffy slowly sits up and spots Crystal sitting with her legs crossed on a large red velvet chair, on the opposite end of the room. Crystal smiles "Hello, Buffy. Or do you prefer Sarah?"  
Buffy glares at her "What I would prefer is me punching you in the face, but I guess that doesn't really answer your question."  
Crystal chuckles softly and stands from her seat; she walks over to Buffy and takes the blonde's chin in her hand "You're pretty than the last slayer I had here. Although I thought you'd be taller."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I get that lot. Now wanna tell me what I'm doing here."  
"I already told you that."  
Buffy scoffs "Yeah well, I wasn't so happy with that answer."  
Crystal sighs before waving her hand at Buffy, suddenly Buffy flies into the wall on the opposite end of the room.  
"I don't have time for this." Crystal tells her "You will have your first show tomorrow. You will stay here for tonight, I will come and collect you in the morning."  
Crystal then waves her hand and disappears in a poof of smoke.

* * *

 **New York - Present Day**

Buffy watches as Neal and Henry talk, while the four of them head towards the pizza place.  
"So you're really from...there?" Buffy hears Henry ask Neal.  
Neal nods hesitantly "Yeah, I am."  
The two of them head into the pizzeria and Buffy turns to Gold "I need you to speak to him." Gold asks her.  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Not a chance. You do realise that the bruise on his face, is the one I gave him that."  
"I'm very aware of that Miss Summers, but he is more likely to listen to you than me. I need you to try and convince him to come back to Storybrooke with us."  
Buffy scoffs "No. I already paid up my favour. I'm done."  
"This isn't about me anymore. You'll do it for Henry."  
Buffy looks at him confused "And you think this because..."  
"Well, because if you don't, you're gonna wake up one morning and discover he's hopped on a bus back to New York. He ran away to Boston to be with you. He'll do the same thing for his father."  
Buffy sighs "If Neal comes back with us, Henry's just gonna end up disappointed. I'd rather let him have this little bubble were he's happy. Henry knows why I lied to him it's the same reason he lied to me. He understands that I am protecting him."  
Gold smiles "I think the real reason you lied was to protect yourself."  
"What are you talking about?" Buffy asks genuinely confused.  
"From getting hurt again." He explains.  
Buffy scoffs "Not gonna happen."  
"You want a second chance with that man."  
Buffy chuckles "No, I really don't. But you do, that's why you're pushing this, trying to make me doubt what I want so I'll ask him to come with us."

"What are we talking about?" Neal asks as he walks over, eating a bite of Pizza.  
"Buffy, Neal wanted to show me the museum." Henry tells her "Do you think we can go back to the apartment and get my camera?"  
Buffy turns to look at Neal who shrugs "Yeah, well, I—kids like culture, right?"  
Buffy sighs "Yeah sure. That's cool."  
Buffy is about to ask about the pizza when he phone goes off, she looks down at the I.D only to see Faith's name. Buffy huffs "Dammit." She mutters.  
"What is it?" Henry asks.  
"Faith." Buffy explain "I told her what I was gonna do, she was worried."  
"What did you do?" Neal asks intrigued.  
"She killed the demon that hurt someone she cared about." Henry explains.  
Buffy sighs "Henry."  
"What? It's awesome."  
Buffy chuckles "Go I'll catch up." She tells them.  
Neal watches Buffy as she walks off and turns to Henry "How did she kill a demon?"  
Henry shrugs "Well, because she's the slayer. Obviously. It's pretty cool."

Buffy walks around the corner before answering the phone "Faith?"  
"B!" Faith yells "Thank God. I've been calling you all night."  
Buffy sighs "Yeah I'm sorry. It's just things here have gotten...complicated."  
"What happened with The Beast?"  
"He's dead."  
Faith is stunned silent "What? How?"

"I did what Angel told me to do. Used a piece of it's own skin to kill it. Which by the way was majorly gross."  
"Wait did you say Angel told you?" Faith asks confused.  
Buffy sighs "You caught that huh? Well I kinda yelled at the powers that be, so they let me say goodbye. Gave me one day with him...as a human."  
"Wow. B...wait human?"  
Buffy smiles "Yep. Whole heart beat with the breathing and everything."

Faith who was still in complete shock exhales slowly as she tries to process everything that had happened.  
"He watches over all of us, you know." Buffy tells her.  
Faith smiles "That's kinda creepy."  
Buffy laughs "Yeah, very much so. But I got something creepier, we just ran into Henry's birth father."  
"What!?" Faith exclaims "How?"  
Buffy chuckles in disbelief "I made a deal with Gold to help him find his son, who just so happens to be the same man that got me pregnant."  
"Jeez, who would have through your life would become this complicated."  
"I know." Buffy says "Makes Sunnydale seem so simple. School, slayage no muss no fuss."  
The two stay silent for a moment as they think about the past, but just as Faith summons her courage to tell Buffy about Giles Buffy spots Hook running into the building where Neal lives "Shit!" Buffy exclaims "Damn pirate. Look Faith I'm so sorry I gotta go."  
"Wait, B—"  
Before Faith can finish she is cut off as Buffy hangs up the phone and takes off running towards the apartment building.

* * *

Buffy pulls open the door just as Hook drives his hook into Gold's chest "Ticktock. Time's up, crocodile." He growls before pulling the hook out, Gold falls to the ground and the pirate raises his hook and attempts to stab Gold again but Buffy grabs his wrist and turns him around to face her, she then kicks him in the chest sending him flying into the opposite wall.  
Buffy bends down in front of Gold "Hey you okay?" She asks as he continues to gasp in both shock and pain.  
"What the hell is going on?" Neal asks as he runs down the stairs and heads towards them.  
Buffy nods over at Hook "The dumbass pirate with rage issues followed us."  
Neal looks over at the knocked out pirate "Hook." He whispers to himself.  
Buffy looks over at Neal confused "You know him?"  
Neal ignores the question and turns back to his father, Neal places a hand on the other man's chest only to have it covered in blood "papa?" Neal whispers worried.

* * *

"Found a storage room." Buffy tells the group as she enters the living room where Neal was helping gold onto the couch "And I locked up captain crazy pants. Who knows maybe we'll get lucky and he'll love his new home." Buffy reaches into her pocket "Plus I found a freaking map on him, I'm thinking he may have sailed that ship here."  
"How'd he get a pirate ship into New York?" Neal asks, confused.  
"It's clocked and all invisible like." Buffy tells him before turning to Henry "I took care of him you don't need to worry okay."  
Henry nods "But is Mr. Gold gonna be okay?"  
Neal glances over at Henry "Henry, he's gonna be fine.

Buffy heads into the bedroom but freezes when she hears Gold speaking to Henry, she quickly walks back in and grabs Henry "Don't touch my son. If you touch him again it won't be the pirate that kills you." She warns Gold as she pulls Henry away from Gold's grasps.  
Buffy kneels down in front of Henry and gives him her phone "The battery's dead. Go into the other room and see if you can find a charger, okay?"  
"Okay." Henry says quietly before leaving the room.  
"Oh, man. We gotta get him to an E.R. fast." Neal says as he looks closer at his father's injury.  
Gold gasps "No, it's pointless."  
Buffy look over and sees the yellow liquid coming out of the wound "What the hell, that's disgusting."  
"It's poison." Gold says, his voice straining as he speaks "It's one of Hook's own making. There's no antidote in this world. It's...it's not from here."  
Neal shakes his head panicked "Hey. Hey, hey. There's gotta be some way we can save you."  
"There is. There is."  
"Storybrooke." Buffy explains "Magic from your world, it's there now. We'll have to get him back."  
Neal nods and starts to stand "I'll get a car."  
"No, no, no." Gold tells him "We don't have time. We need something faster. The captain's ship."  
Buffy groans "Dammit. Sea travel is almost as bad as portal travel."  
"No matter, it's the fastest vessel in all the realms." Gold explains.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Thanks for that riveting piece of intel. But here's the catch, who is captain it, considering the only one who can is sleeping the sleep with the knocked unconscious. Plus he wants you dead."  
"I can do it." Neal says, surprising the other two.  
"Bae?" Gold asks confused.  
"Yeah. I can do it."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow at her ex "You know how to sail a pirate ship? Could this day get any weirder?"

* * *

Buffy looks over at Neal who was currently staring at him phone "Seriously hat are you doing? Playing angry birds?"  
Neal doesn't look up as he answers "Getting us a car."  
"Good. Cause I ain't hauling his ass to the ship by my hands because you can't lift him."  
Buffy pauses and looks over at Neal "So how do you know the pirate idiot?"  
"It's a long story. Short version is this world wasn't my first stop when I left home."  
Buffy looks at him slightly curious "No?"  
"If it was, I'd be a couple hundred years old by now."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Is everyone I've dated going to be over at hundred years old, I mean come on, seriously."  
At that moment Neal's phone starts ringing "That should be our ride. Hang tight." He tells them before leaving the room.

As Neal leaves Henry walks in "Buffy, you need to see this."  
Buffy turns to him "What is it, kid?"  
"It's a text from David and Mary Margaret. You need to read it now."  
Buffy's eyes widen as she stares at the text and she exhales in disbelief "I never should have helped her. Should have let her rot in jail." Buffy says before turning to Gold "Bad new, Gold."  
"What, worse than incurable poison?"  
Buffy shrugs "Well, I don't know. How much damage can Regina and Cora do with your supposedly hidden dagger, which is currently somewhere in Storybrooke."  
Gold's breathing deepens as the pain increases "Get to you point."  
"Cora wants it, which equals bad. So we gotta have David and Mary Margaret get to it first."  
"Yeah, let Cora try."  
Buffy scoffs "Are you seriously gonna risk this? I mean of all times now?"  
"Ms. Summers." Gold says cutting her off "That dagger has not left my possession for centuries. It's not about to now."  
Buffy moves to sit next to Gold "Well here's one little detail you seem to be forgetting. You're dying. I've done it, trust me it 's not fun. So as of right now we are the best option so the time for trust has come." Buffy groans "If I were you I'd start with...family." Buffy holds back a gag as the last word leaves her mouth.

* * *

"It should be one more block west." Neal tells Buffy as they walk down the street.  
Buffy nods "So what do we do with pirate boy?"  
Neal just shrugs "I don't know. He made his way to New York. I'm sure he could make his  
way out of a basement. You have a problem leaving him behind?"  
Buffy shakes her head "Nope. Wouldn't be the first time. Although last time I did leave him with a sweet giant to make friends with."  
Neal looks at her confused before shaking his head "I don't think I wanna know. But...there is one thing I wanna ask. Henry used a specific word to describe you. A rather interesting one."  
"Ah, the S word." Buffy sighs "What do you wanna know?"  
"Is it true? Are you the slayer?" He whispers the last part.  
Buffy sighs "Since I was 15."  
Neal looks over at her shocked "What? But—"  
"About a week after I got back to L.A I was called. And since then my life has pretty much been a mixture of death and pain and fighting, so can we change the subject?"  
Neal hesitates but sees the expression on Buffy's face, making it clear there is going to be no argument.

After several awkward moments of silence Buffy speaks "So after everything you told me, I'm surprised you'd rally to his side like this."  
"There's a difference between running away from your father and watching him die in front of you. He might be a monster, but he's my blood."  
Buffy looks over at Neal "And what about when's he's all fine and dandy and healed."  
"I don't know. Forgiveness ain't something I think is possible with him."  
Buffy laughs "And let me guess you have a secret hope that he will change his ways."  
Neal chuckles "Life's full of surprises, isn't it?"  
"Don't have to tell me twice. I've had enough surprises in mine." Buffy pauses "But I guess it's not the worst thing in the world for you to get some time with Henry."  
"Here's our car." Neal says as he speeds over to the car.  
Buffy sighs "I'm not hot-wiring a car." Buffy tells him.

Neal turns to her suddenly holding a set of keys "No. Uh...it belongs to a friend."  
Buffy looks at the car "That's some nice friend."  
"Yeah, about that. Um...there's something you need to know about me. Before we get on the ship."  
Before he can say anything else a woman runs over to them "Neal! Thank god I caught you."  
Neal turns to her as she hugs him "What are you doing here?"  
"Oh! I don't know. I...maybe I got a little worried after talking to you. You can't just say you're—" The woman glances at Buffy "You're leaving town for a while."  
"Hey. Yeah, listen. Ev—everything's fine, okay? I promise."  
"Great, sweetie. Just tell me what's going on."  
Buffy at this point is getting impatient "Neal?"  
The woman turns to Buffy and holds out her hand "I'm Tamara."  
Buffy shakes her hand "Buffy."  
"She's my fiancée." Neal explains.


	44. The Miller's Daughter

**The Miller's Daughter**

Buffy heads to the lower deck where Gold is currently lying down in one of the bunks, as she closes the door behind her she collapses against it and sighs.  
Buffy looks over at Gold "You look extremely comfortable." She says sarcastically.  
"Your humour is lost on Miss. Summers."  
Buffy shrugs "You and many others."  
"The poison racing towards my heart will have that undesired affect."  
"Try having a bullet racing towards your heart hurts more."  
Gold glares at her "I'll be sure to try that next time."  
Buffy exhales, while rolling her eyes "So tell me about this oh so important knife of yours. Cora and Regina-if they do have it—they can make you do anything, like anything anything?"  
Gold breathing begins to become heavy as he continues "Indeed."  
Buffy nods "So you could end up dressing up like a leprechaun or trying to kill us all."  
"Yeah. You're hoping I bleed to death now aren't you."  
Buffy looks at him blankly "If you had asked me that a week ago I would have said yes, but now...You're Henry's grandfather. We're...'family' unfortunately for the both of us. So I'm gonna save you, I just can't guarantee the thought of it doesn't make me wanna barth."

* * *

"Are you okay?" Snow asks as her and David run over to Buffy and the group as they exit Hook's ship.  
"We're good." Buffy tells her, Snow walks over to her and notices the mark on Buffy's head "What happened?"  
Buffy shrugs "Had a little disagreement with the demon that killed Angel."  
"I drove a ship." Henry tells his grandparents enthusiastically  
"Did you now?" Neal asks with a smile.  
"Yeah, my dad showed me how."  
David looks over at Neal who looks at them all nervously "That's me." He tells him as they continue to help Gold.

As David helps Gold Snow turns back to Buffy "What happened, really?"  
Buffy sighs "It doesn't matter, it's done, he's dead."  
"You killed him?" Snow asks shocked.  
Buffy chuckles "It was a demon, not exactly the first of them I've killed." Buffy pauses "Look he killed someone I loved then tried to rip me in two, I did what needed to be done. Now can we drop this please, we have more difficult things to deal with."

Snow sighs before following Buffy who had walked off and over to Gold "How long till she'll be able to control you." Buffy asks.  
"As long as I'm weak she won't be able to, but once I'm healed..."  
"Then we'll just have to take the fight to her before that can happen."  
"We will." David says.  
Snow nods "And this time, we finish it."  
"Mary Margaret—"  
"David. She needs to be stopped. She needs to be killed. This is our family. We are going to protect it."  
Buffy watches as the two argue so she cuts in "If it comes to it, I'll kill her." Snow and David turn to her shocked "Buffy—" Snow starts but Buffy interjects.  
"David's right, you don't have it in you to kill, I do. I've done it before, if I have to I'll do it again."  
The two of them look at her sadly but she simply turns to Gold "How you doing?"  
"Ah, I'm beginning to feel a bit stronger. Take me back to my shop." He tells them "The magic there can protect us."  
"Let me guess. I get to go with Ruby." Henry says clearly not happy.  
Buffy nods "Right you are."  
Ruby turns to the blonde "I'll keep him out of the crossfire."  
"Thank you." Snow tells her.  
"Don't look so worried." Henry tells them "You'll stop Cora. You won't let her get away."

* * *

Once David places Gold on the small bed in the back of the shop the wizard turns to the slayer "Buffy, did you find it?"  
Buffy nods "Yep." She says as she holds up the empty glass jar "Found the jar of air." She shakes the jar only to stare shocked as a clattering noise comes from inside "What the hell?" Buffy reaches inside and pulls out the invisible object.  
"Invisible chalk." Gold tells her  
Buffy sighs "Invisible chalk, that's weirder than an invisible Buffy."  
"Wait what?" David asks confused "You were invisible?"  
Buffy just shrugs "A story for another time." She tells him before turning to Gold "What do I with it?"  
"Use it in the front doorway." Gold grunts in pain before continuing "Draw a line. The rest of you, you might wanna prepare for battle."  
The group of them nod before heading into the main part of the store.

* * *

Buffy rolls her eyes as she stares at the chalk "This is ridiculous" She mutters before getting onto her knees in front of the door and beginning to draw the line.  
"Missed a spot." Neal tells her as he continues to watch her draw. Buffy sits up and glares at him "Shut up, you're not funny." She says before going back to drawing.  
"I didn't know you were magical."  
Buffy turns to him "First of all, I'm not, I hit stuff I don't do the magic-y stuff. And please, you're one to judge. Considering you're the king of surprises, Mr. son of Ruplestiltskin."  
"Oh."  
Buffy huffs "What oh?"  
"I didn't mean for Tamara to be a surprise."  
Buffy scoffs "If you really think I care that a guy I dated a decade ago is engaged, you're delusional."  
Before Neal can say anything David walks into the room "We're all clear outside." He tells them, he freezes however when he notices the tension in the room and glances between the exes "Everything okay?"  
Buffy nods before standing and reaching into her bag "Locked and loaded." She says as she pulls out the scythe.

* * *

"I can't cast a spell. I can spell 'spell' but I'm not Willow or even crazy Amy I'm not exactly fluent in the language of magic." Buffy says as she stands over Gold.  
Gold closes his eyes as he speaks, his voice weakening "You can. It's in you."  
Buffy shrugs "Technically that would be the essence of a demon but details. Look my brain has a specific warning that goes off 'avoid magic at all costs'. It's very effective."  
"Just try." Gold tells her.  
Buffy rolls her eyes before closing them "Stop thinking!" Gold yells "Conjuring magic is not an intellectual endeavor. It's emotion. You must ask yourself, why am I doing this? Who am I protecting? Feel it."  
Buffy turns away from him and thinks for a moment before closes her eyes, as she does she feels something go through her "Oh, yeah." Gold breaths "Oh, yeah. You feel it?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah, I think I just might have."  
"Good girl. Very good girl."  
"It's them." David tells Buffy, Neal and Gold as he quickly enters the back room "Regina and Cora. They're here."  
Buffy swings the scythe "Let's do this." She says before following David into the next room.

* * *

The group of them watch as the door flies open Buffy looks over at Regina "I offered you help, you really are a lunatic."  
Regina just glares at the blonde while Cora smiles "Miss. Summers how lovely to see you again."  
"Can't say the same." Buffy responds.  
Suddenly Regina raises her hand and tosses a fireball at Buffy but the blonde merely flips in the air landing on the counter, she then kicks the large vase on the counter at Regina's head.  
Regina falls and groans in pain before looking up and growling at the blonde, she goes to throw another fireball at the slayer but David moves in front of his daughter blocking it with his sword. However as he does Regina swings her hand and David goes flying out the front door of the shop.  
Buffy does a side aerial off the table and throws the scythe towards Cora, it slices through her arm causing her to cry out in pain "Mother!" Regina yells as she turns to the witch.

Buffy takes advantage of her distraction and runs over grabbing Regina at the back of the neck and lifting her off the ground before slamming her through the glass counter, she then tosses the raven haired women into the opposite wall before retrieving the scythe "I don't like being played." She tells Regina.

As Neal runs towards Cora she teleports away dropping the dark one's dagger, as he looks around Buffy walks over to Regina who uses magic to send the blonde flying across the room, however Buffy quickly flips herself back to her feet and sends a flying kick as the mayor's face causing her to again collapses to the ground. Buffy stands over Regina then wraps a hand around her neck and lifts her off the ground before holding the blade of the scythe against her neck.  
Buffy turns to Cora who is facing off with Neal "What's it gonna be?" Neal asks with a smirk, as he gestures to the dagger  
Cora looks back at Buffy who just gives her a sweet smile "You know what I'm capable of, so don't test me."  
"Mother!" Regina yells as she sees her mother hesitate.  
Neal looks back at Cora "Choose wisely."  
Cora merely raises her hand and the dagger flies into her palm, as the knife flies up Buffy tosses Regina into Cora and the two go crashing into the other glass counter.  
Buffy turns to Neal "Move to Gold. I got the chalk-y stuff."  
Neal quickly follows her and Buffy draws a line with the chalk; the two watch as the protection spell raises before moving towards Gold.

* * *

As they stand with Gold Buffy's phone begins to ring "David?" Buffy asks as she answers.  
"Are you safe?" He asks her, clearly filled with worry.  
"For now, I kinda beat the crap out of the evil witches and I got the spell up in the back room."  
"Is Mary Margaret okay?" He asks his voice straining.  
Buffy looks around confused "She's not with you?"  
"No. Where the hell is she?"

* * *

"It's getting weaker." Neal observes as he watches the barrier, he turns to Buffy "She's gonna get through."  
Buffy nods "Then I'll knock her on her ass like I did her bitch of a daughter."  
"Maybe it's for the best." Gold mumbles as he inhales deeply "At least this cursed power will pass from this world."  
"No." Neal tells him before tossing the sword to the ground and making his way over to his father. "No, you're not dying."  
"I am dying." Gold says quietly "That much is certain. I need to talk to Belle. Buffy, please." He begs his breathing becoming heavier by the moment.  
Buffy looks down at him sympathetically before nodding, she quickly grabs her phone and passes it down to the dying man. "Who's Belle?" Neal asks confused.  
Buffy glances at him "You're dad's girlfriend."  
Buffy moves away and simply listens as Gold talks to Belle for the next few minutes before listening as him and Neal embrace.

* * *

A little while Later Cora finally manages to break through the barrier and walks inside the room "You two, out of the way." She says as she glances at Neal and Buffy, suddenly she waves her hand and the next thing the two know they are in the middle of a forest.

* * *

A/N: Hey everyone please continue to review it makes me so happy and makes me want to write more, which means more updates.


	45. Welcome to Storybrooke

**San Fransisco – 2 Years Ago**

"Wakey, wakey honey. Wake up sweet heart." Crystal says a she sits on the floor next to Buffy, "Look I get it, your last fight was bad." The witch lifts the slayer's chin upwards so she can see her bruised face "Eesh. You know maybe you wouldn't have so many ouchies if you stopped fighting us, then we wouldn't have to punish you."  
Buffy glares up at her "Go to hell." She growls before spitting blood at Crystal's face. The smile falls from the witch's face, she slowly wipes her hand across her check removing the blood "You stupid little girl." Crystal hisses before slapping Buffy across the face with so much force that it sends Buffy flying across her cell, causing her to crash into the metal bars.

Buffy groans in pain, as she clutches her already bruised ribs, suddenly Crystal is above her and kicks Buffy in the stomach repeatedly. After what seems like for ever, Crystal finally stops however the next thing Buffy knows she is being floated several feet above the ground "Now, my dear sweet Buffy, you must learn your place here. You are my star but that doesn't mean you can't be punished." Suddenly a knife appears in Crystal's palm and before Buffy can stop her Crystal shoves the knife into Buffy's gut and twists it "Ahh!" Buffy screams.  
Crystal smiles before pulling the knife back out and letting Buffy fall to the ground. "I'll send the medic. We'll get you ready for thursday night."  
"I'm gonna kill you." Buffy hisses before passing out.

About an hour later, Buffy drags herself to sitting up position and winces as she clutches her stomach, suddenly the cell door opens and in walks Chris holding a first aid kit.  
Buffy looks up and glares at him "What the hell are you doing here?" she hisses.  
Chris looks up at her and his eyes widen when he sees the blood and bruises "Oh my God Sarah."  
Buffy scoffs "So it's Sarah again, huh? You know my real name, why don't you use it."  
Chris sighs, before slowly making his way over to her, he crouches on the ground next to her and opens up the first aid kit. When he pulls out a needle Buffy tries to pull away but Chris places a hand on her shoulder "Sar—Buffy, if you keep moving you're gonna lose more blood."  
"Don't touch me!" Buffy hisses as she shoves his hand away. Chris sighs as Buffy takes the first aid kit off him "I can do it myself." Buffy tells him.  
"Buffy, let me help...please."  
"I heal fast, I don't need and I don't want your help. So just go."  
Chris hesitates before nodding and heading towards the door, however before he steps out the cell he freezes "I'm sorry this happened Buffy, if I-Crystal-I owe her but – Know that I do love you Buffy."

* * *

 **Storybrooke, Maine – Present Day**

"Nada, huh?" Buffy asks David as he comes back out of Mary Margaret's room, carrying the still full tray of breakfast.  
"She won't eat a bite."  
"What's wrong with her?" Henry asks confused.  
Buffy sighs "She's going through the same thing I did, once upon a time."  
"What do you mean?"  
Buffy hesitates before looking over at David "He deserves to know, I can't lie to him."  
David turns to her shaking his head "Buffy..."  
"He deserves to know." Buffy repeats before turning to her son "Here's the thing, Henry. When Cora died...the person responsible fot it—or at least partially responsible for it was...it was Mary Margaret. That's why she's acting this way."  
Henry stares at Buffy with wide eyes, refusing to believe her "No. No, no, she couldn't."

At that moment someone knocks on the door, as David heads to answer it Buffy turns back to Henry, she sighs "Sometimes we do things we don't think we are capable of. To protect others and ourselves."  
"But she's Snow White. She wouldn't hurt anybody."  
Buffy nods "Maybe in the enchanted forest but here—things aren't so black and white, its harder to know what's the right thing to do in those type of situations."

Suddenly Buffy's attention is brought behind her as she hears David yell "Get out."  
Buffy turns only to spot Gold on the other side of the door, "I think you're gonna wanna hear what I have to say..." Gold says before looking over at Snow "For her sake."  
Buffy stands and makes her way over to the two "Wanna explain that?" Buffy asks Gold.  
"Regina." Gold says simply "She's planning to strike back against your mother."  
"What is she gonna do to her?" Henry asks, clearly extremely worried.  
"Oh, she didn't say."  
Buffy glares at him "You're extremely helpful." She says sarcastically.  
David turns to Gold "You don't get to come in here and drop a bomb like that. You're gonna figure this out. And you're gonna help us."  
Gold smiles at the prince "And why should I?"  
"Because aside from us being family now..." Buffy rolls her eyes and groans slightly at the fact "...Mary Margaret saved your life. Now you owe her a debt. And you always pay your debts, don't you? You're gonna help us stop Regina."

While David and Gold are out searching for clues Buffy heads up to her room and starts some tai chi, hoping it might help calm her. As she slowly raises both of her hands, a hesitant voice makes her freeze "What are you doing?"  
Buffy turns to see Henry, she gives him a small smile "Tai Chi, keeps me calm."  
Henry grins "Cool, who taught you?"  
Buffy closes her eyes and buries the still present heartache "Angel." She whispers "He taught me when I was in high school."  
Henry nods before jumping onto the bed and sitting "You two were pretty close, huh?"  
Buffy doesn't answer the question she just simple nods, the two stay silent for a moment before an idea pops into her head "You wanna learn?"  
Henry's head shoots upwards and his eyes widen, as they fill with excitement "Really?"  
Buffy smiles at his grinning expression "Sure. Tai Chi helps keep you all, un-crazy, figured with all the crazy stuff that happens around here it might be nice to have something to keep you grounded."

Henry smiles brightly before jumping off the bed and walking over to her "So do I get to learn to fight as well. And use a sword? David says you're good with swords, oh and what about your axe thing—"  
Buffy chuckles and interjects "Henry breath, or you are going to pass out. First of all, sword fighting will not be in our lessons but..." Buffy pauses "...I learnt with my sister that when you're in this kind of world you need to have some knowledge of self defence, so maybe I will teach you a move or two."  
Henry grins and starts bouncing up and down "But first, Tai Chi." Buffy tells him "It helps with balance so you won't topple over." Buffy says with a smile as she gives Henry a little push causing him to wobble "See your balance is not very good."

* * *

After their lesson Henry is eating downstairs, Buffy is about to join him when her phone rings, she signs and quickly heads upstairs before answering "Faith, look now is not the best time I-?"  
"Buffy?" A hesitant voice asks. Buffy's eyes widen, as she recognises the voice she hasn't heard in almost 5 years "Buffy?" The voice asks again, unsure.  
Buffy takes a deep breath "Why do you have Faith's phone, Willow?"  
"Well-I—you see—there was this thing—I—I—" Buffy listens as Willow continues to babble before finally being able to complete her sentence "I sort of used a spell to steal her phone. And by a spell I mean I threatened Andrew into breaking into her hotel room to get it."  
Buffy chuckles slightly "Ooh, she's gonna kill him." Buffy stops laughing after a moment and gets back to her question "Why are you calling me?"  
Buffy hears Willow sighs "Buffy, I know that things between all of us are still unresolved but—Buffy, it's Giles."  
Buffy's interest and curiosity is suddenly peaked and she slowly takes a seat on the edge of the bed "What happened?" She asks, assuming the worst.  
Willow exhales slowly before answering, "Buffy, Giles is sick. The doctors say that it's not good."

Buffy's eyes widen and her breathing begins to become shaky "He's—he's gonna be okay right?" Buffy asks desperately, even though she had not seen him in five years she still cared about him and he had been the closet thing she had had to a father after Hank took off.  
"He's going into surgery in a couple days...Buffy they said it's very likely he won't survive."  
"Mom?" Henry asks concerned as he walks into the room "What's wrong?"  
Buffy turns to her son and quickly wipes at her eyes, which had seemed to fill with water "Nothing. I'll be down stairs in a minute, okay?"  
"But—"  
"Henry, please go down stairs."  
Henry looks at her with a worried expression, before slowly nodding and heading back down stairs.

"Was that—your son?" Buffy hears Willow asks.  
Buffy sighs "My son is not a subject that I want to discuss with you."  
"I'm sorry, it's just Faith told us and we—" Willow sighs "He wants to see you. Giles. Before the surgery."  
Buffy again is silenced in complete astonishment, she takes a deep breath as she considers everything "There is a lot going on here, but...I'll see what I can do."  
Before Willow can say anything else Buffy abruptly hangs up the phone and covers her mouth with her hand as a cry threatens to break free.

* * *

"And what the hell does that mean?" Buffy asks Gold "I'm not exactly fluent in magic spells or curses."  
"In theory, it has the power to make someone love you." Gold explains.  
Buffy scoffs "I'm guessing the 'in theory' part of the statement is important because that breaks all the fundamental laws of magic. I should know about breaking magical laws, I brooke the big no no, aka bringing someone back to life."  
"You're right Miss. Summers." Gold says, as he nods at her "This particular spell can make someone think that they love you. And if you're desperate for love as Regina appears to be, you might just believe it."

"She's gonna use it on me, isn't she?" Henry asks as he comes down the stairs. David sighs and makes his way over to the boy "Hey, buddy, why don't you go back upstairs? Let us handle this."  
"No!" Henry says as he pushes past David and makes his way over to Buffy "You said you don't like lying to me, so don't. Now why is Regina using this curse?"  
It is Gold that answers the young boy's question "Because it's the only way she can get everything she wants, that she can get you."  
Henry just looks at him confused before looking over at Mary Margaret "But if all she wants is me—"  
"Your mother is a complicated woman. She wants your love, of course, but she also wants vengeance on Mary Margaret."  
David crosses his arms and turns to the dark one still slightly confused "How does the curse give her both?"  
"Because the last ingredient she needs to ignite the curse is the heart of the person she hates the most."  
Buffy's eyes widen "You have to stop her."  
Gold scoffs "No, I don't have to do anything. On the contrary. I believe warning you fulfills my debt, plus I've seen what you can do Miss Summer, I highly doubt Regina can get pass you if she tried."  
"You're debt is not even close to being fulfilled." David exclaims angrily "This is my wife's life we're taking about."  
Buffy nods in agreement "Plus you know your son's kid."  
Gold just shrugs "Yeah, well, wars have costs."  
Buffy glares at him "You are just asking me to throw you out a window aren't you."  
"This is a blood feud, dearie—one that goes back a very, very long time. And the only way you could end a blood feud is by the spilling of more blood. That is the only way I know to eliminate your Regina problem."  
"By what, killing her?" David asks astonished.  
Gold nods "You've killed before Miss Summers, I'm sure you would be able to do it again."  
Buffy glares at him before thinking about what else they could do, but she comes up blank "This can't be the only way."  
"I'm afraid it is."

"Stop!" Henry yells, he looks between David and Buffy, shocked by what he was hearing. "Listen to yourselves. You're talking about killing my mom. You used to be heroes. What happened to you?"  
Henry glances at his family members once more before running to the front door and heading out, "Henry." Buffy calls before heading to the door. As she grabs her coat she turns to David "If it comes to it...I'll do what ever it takes to protect the people I care about but we need to keep him as far away from it as possible." David nods in agreement; Buffy then leaves the house.

* * *

"Why did you bring me here?" Henry asks confused, as him and Buffy enter Granny's, Buffy shrugs "I get that you're not happy with the position we are in, so I figured you could use some time to talk to someone not involved in all this." She then stops Henry and turns him to see Neal seating at their usually booth.  
Neal smiles at his son "Hey, Buddy. Saved you a seat."  
Buffy looks over at Neal "I'm gonna grab some coffee."

"Thanks, Ruby." Buffy says as Ruby passes her the coffee Ruby gives her a smile before both of their attentions is brought to Greg "Excuse me. Um...could I get this sandwich wrapped up to go?" He asks politely "I was thinking about going on a hike."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Hike, huh?"  
Grey nods "Well, Dr. Whale said it's be good for me to get on my feet. And...plus I'm kind of a...nature photography nerd."  
Buffy nods "Just figured you'd be home by now, I'm mean I like Stroybrooke but It can be a little dull."  
Greg smiles "Well I think the town is growing on me." He turns and hands Ruby the money "Thank you, very much."  
As he leaves Ruby turns to Buffy with a worried look on her face, Buffy sighs "I know, I know." She says.

* * *

 **Westbury, England**

"What the hell red?" Faith exclaims as she walks into Willow's room.  
Willow looks up at Faith, acting completely clueless "What is it, Faith?"  
Faith glares at her "Oh, don't you 'what is it Faith' me. Andrew spilled the beans, one threat of getting hit and that guy sings like bird. You took my phone to call B."  
Willow sighs before slowly pulling Faith's phone out of her pocket and handing it over.  
"Faith, I—"  
Faith cuts the witch off "I told you I would call her."  
"That was a week ago." Willow argues as she stands from her seat "You said you would tell her when we got off the plane—"  
"I tried to call her, but she has important stuff going on. Last I spoke to her she had just killed the thing that killed someone she cared about. Oh that and her babby daddy showed up... so she's kinda having a bad week, didn't really want to add on to that."  
Willow sighs, exhaling a deep breath "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, I guess—I guess I just wanted to talk to her."  
Faith sighs and looks at the sad expression on the witch's face "You know what, no big. We're five by five. So what did she say?"  
"She said there was stuff happening where she is and she'll see what she can do. Then she kind of hung up on me."  
Faith chuckles "Yeah, she tends to have to take off quickly, so she forgets to say bye, she kinda like drops the phone and takes off running."

* * *

 **Storybrooke, Maine**

"How did it go?" Buffy asks as she walks over to Neal.  
Neal nods "Went good, he said yes."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Huh? I mean huh?"  
Neal smiles "Yeah, he's in the bathroom right now. I'm just—I'm gonna go home and pack. Not bad for day three as a dad, if I do say so myself."  
Buffy looks over at empty seat and sighs "Really? Where's his backpack?"  
"Well, I don't know. He took it with him."  
Buffy scoffs "To the bathroom, you're kidding right. Did you forget who you were when I met you? Well let me remind you of something...he's your son."  
Neal sits there for a moment trying to understand her meaning when he realises "He's running."

* * *

"Henry!" Buffy and David yell as the two of them along with Neal and Ruby, make their way through the mines.  
"Oh, down here." Ruby says as she catches the scent "He was in here." She says as she comes to a stop.  
Neal looks around confused "Why would an 11-year-old kid run away to the mines?"  
Buffy shrugs "Wouldn't be the first time, plus doesn't being weird like run in his blood."  
"I think I know what he was looking for." David says as he runs towards a red box in the corner "The dynamite the dwarves used for blasting."  
Buffy looks at the box confused "What would he need dynamite, colour me confused."  
After a pause it's Neal that answers the question "To get rid of magic."  
"huh?" Buffy asks confused.  
"At the diner, he said someone should get rid of magic."  
"Again I say huh? He can't just blow it up." Buffy says.  
"Where would he even go to do that?" Neal asks.

* * *

"Regina!" Buffy yells as her and the group run towards the well, where Regina is currently standing with Henry "Get the hell away from my son!"  
Regina turns to Buffy "He's not yours. He's mine. And after I cast this, you'll never see him again."  
Buffy glares at her and clutches the scythe, which she grabbed out of the car as they drove here.  
"That's not gonna happen." David tells the mayor.  
Buffy glares at the mayor and steps towards her "You are not taking my son and if you wanna kill Mary Margaret you can go through us."  
Regina smiles "Okay." She says as she creates a fire ball in her palm.  
As she does David cocks his gun and Buffy raises the scythe, but before anyone can do anything Henry runs in between them all "Stop!" He screams  
"Henry, get out of the way!" Neal yells.  
"Not until someone helps me destroy magic!"  
"There's no way to get rid of it." Regina tells him "You can't just blow it up."  
Buffy turns to Henry "It's not magic that's the problem, Henry. It's her."  
"It's not just her." He argues "It's everyone. Look what magic did to Mary Margaret and everything it did to you, it destroyed your life over and over." Henry says to Buffy. He then looks over at Regina "Look at what it did to you. It's ruining everything. It makes good people do terrible things."  
Buffy looks at him sadly "It does the same to people who are bad."  
Henry looks at her once more before stepping closer to Regina "Please. It's gonna destroy my family. Help me get rid of it."  
"I can't do that, Henry." Regina tells him "But there is something I can do." She slowly raises the parchment with the curse and drops it into the fire before closing her palm destroying the fire.  
Henry smiles "Thank you." He says before going over to Buffy who hugs him tightly, before the group of them then leave the forest.

* * *

Once they are home Buffy climbs upstairs to her room and grabs her phone. Once she does she quickly dials Faith's number.  
"B?" Faith asks as she answers the phone.  
"Yeah. It's me, look I talked to Willow—"  
"B, I'm so sorry." Faith says panicked but Buffy interjects.  
"It's doesn't matter. I just wanna know, is it true? Is Giles really sick or is this some kind of game?"  
Faith sighs "I'd much prefer to say that the answer is number 2 but it's 1. He's sick B."  
Buffy takes a deep breath "I wanna see him."


	46. Selfless, Brave and True - Part 1

"Breakfast in bed?" Buffy asks David astonished "You have got to be kidding me?"  
David turns to her "What happened has been really hard on Mary Margaret. The least we can do is make sure she's eating."  
Buffy scoffs "What she needs is too get her ass out of bed and move past it."  
David dumps the tray back down and turns to his daughter "That's a little harsh, don't you think, she took Cora's life."  
"And you know what, I've taken lives before too. I've killed a lot more people than she has and you know what I did? I didn't get breakfast in bed, I hauled my ass out of the cell I was in, stitched up my wounds and moved past it. She has to do the same."  
"Is everything okay?" Henry asks as he comes down the stairs.  
Buffy nods "Yeah." She pauses, remembering that she still hasn't filled them in on her plans "Actually, I'm leaving."  
David's eyes widen "What?!"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Nothing like that. Someone from my past...he's sick and it—it doesn't look good. I have to go say goodbye."  
"I thought you weren't in contact with anyone?" Henry asks as he walks over.  
"I wasn't except for Faith, but lets just say Willow and I had a little chat." Buffy sighs "The person that's sick...he was the closet thing I had to a father after mine took off, I have to go. If he doesn't make it, I wanna to have been able to say goodbye. I didn't get to say it to my mom."  
David sighs and looks at her sadly "How long?"  
"Just a couple hours. I'll be back to deal with the crisis of the day."  
David nods "Be careful." Buffy nods before turning to Henry "You wanna come?"  
Henry grins "Sure. Where we going?"  
Buffy groans "England. Grab your coat."  
As he does Buffy turns to her father "About her...I know you think she needs our help. But trust me I've been in this situation and I know that in the end of the day she's the only one who can help herself."

* * *

Buffy and Henry jump in the car and as they drive Henry turns to her "So how are we getting to England?"  
Buffy glances over at him and smirks "Ever teleported anywhere?"  
Henry's eyes widen in excitement and disbelief "Really, we're gonna teleport there."  
Buffy chuckles "Yep, kid. Meeting up with Faith at the next town over then one of the witches will teleport us over to England."  
"This is so awesome, first a trip to New York now a trip to England, where I get to teleport, best two weeks ever."  
Buffy smiles before turning her attention back to the road, as she focuses on the road ahead her smile fades slowly as she thinks about what is ahead of her.

* * *

 **Westbury, England**

"Come on Red, I'm gonna be late." Faith says as she enters the main meeting room where Xander, Willow and Dawn are currently speaking.  
"Late?" Xander asks confused "Since when do you care about being late?"  
Faith rolls her eyes and looks over at the red head "You didn't tell him?"  
Willow raises her hands in defence "I was going to, but I was still in shock."  
Faith just sighs and looks at her watch "Look, their both gonna be there in about half hour, don't wanna give her a reason to be pissed at me. She's got a lot going on at the moment, she's a little bit stressed and all."  
"Wait, 'she' who?" Xander asks, still completely clueless.  
"Buffy." Dawn says quietly and a little unsure "She's coming here."  
"What?" Xander asks stunned.  
Faith sighs "Look, she wants to see Giles before the surgery. Her and the kid are meeting me in some town in Maine."  
"Maine? What the hell is Buffy doing in Maine?" Xander asks completely confused, knowing that Buffy preferred sunny places.  
Faith just shrugs "Not my business." She turns to Willow "Can you do that spell thing you do now, I ain't got a lot of time."  
Willow nods before waving her hand and suddenly Faith disappears.

* * *

 **Portland, Maine**

Buffy and Henry sit outside a small cafe as they wait for Faith. The two of them eat quietly as they wait, until Henry looks up at Buffy with interest "So how do you know this Faith person?"  
Buffy places her glass down on the table and turns to her son chuckling slightly at the question "That—that is a very complicated question."  
"What do you mean?" Henry asks, his interest growing.  
"Well, Faith she's a slayer, like me. I met her when I was 17, to say me and her had our issues, is an understatement. There was a time when Faith and I...let's just say we didn't get along so well. But over the years she has become one of my closest friends."  
Henry nods "I thought there was only one slayer."  
Buffy hesitates before exhaling "There was. But after something happened to me in Sunnydale a mistake was made and another slayer was called. But now—now there are hundreds."  
Henry grins intrigued "Really how?"

"Well..." A voice says interrupting "B, here went all crazy and told a witch to turn all the potentials into slayers. Well after she had already led us down into a war zone where about a million uber vamps were waitin'. Then she ran along a bunch of building rooftops to save the town she blew up."  
Buffy spins around and grins at her leather clad friend "Technically I didn't blow up the town. That was Spike."  
Faith shrugs "Tamato, Tomato."  
Buffy chuckles before standing and giving her fellow slayer a hug "It's good to see you, Faith."  
Faith pulls away and smiles "You too B. So whose the cutie?" She says gesturing to Henry.  
Henry stands and walks over to Faith holding out his hand "I'm Henry. Nice to meet you Faith."  
Faith chuckles at the politeness of the child "Damn B, you're kid has good manners. You sure he's yours?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes and watches as Faith shakes Henry's hand, before ruffling the hair on the top of his head "Nice to meet you kid." Faith says before turning to B "Do you think he'll turn into a mini Robin?"  
"Robin?" Henry asks confused.  
Buffy turns to Henry "Robin is the son of the only other slayer to have a kid." Buffy pauses as she turns to Faith "And no."  
Faith chuckles and raises her hands in defence "Alright jeez don't go biting my head off or you know trying to gut me. I didn't enjoy that..."  
"You did deserve it." Buffy argues.  
Faith tilts her head "True." Faith pauses "So we ready for hell on earth?"  
Buffy sighs "As ready as I'll ever be."  
Faith nods so the three then head to Buffy's car "Head down to the edge of town that's where the portal is."  
Buffy nods and climbs into the car before putting it into drive. As she pulls the car onto the road she sees Faith out of the corner of her eye turn to Henry "So kid, you got any dirt on B?"  
Henry thinks for a moment before grinning "Yep. But I want to know more about what stuff she did before. You help me I'll help you."  
Faith chuckles "B, your kid's got spunk."  
Buffy sighs "This is going to be a long, long day."

* * *

As they drive Buffy's phone begins to ring, she glances down and see Neal calling, she glances over at Henry who is completely engrossed in conversation with Faith and sighs "Look, not is not the best time." She says as she answers the phone "I'm a bit busy."  
Buffy hears Neal exhale nervously "I need to talk to you. I was wondering if you and Henry could come over."  
Buffy groans "No can do. We are visiting a friend of mine won't be back for a few hours. So can it wait?"  
Neal sighs "Not exactly. Look Tamara went to my place to get some of her stuff."  
"Okay."  
"All her bags were in the storage room, but Hook wasn't."  
Buffy sighs "Lucky for her, not so much for us. Look I doubt he can cause much trouble but if he shows up, get David to deal until I get back."  
"Okay the second thing—"  
Buffy frowns "Second thing. Since when is there a second thing?"  
Neal sighs "Look, the second thing I want to talk about is the reason Tamara was getting her stuff is that she's on her way here."  
Buffy's eyes widen in shock "Here? Storybrooke here? Huh?"  
"Yeah, she should be here at Granny's any minute now."  
"Are you insane?" Buffy deadpans.  
"What do you mean?" Neal asks genuinely confused.  
"Do you forget about where you are right now? How the hell are you gonna explain a giant or a werewolf when it runs past her on main street? This isn't exactly a Hellmouth where people just deny everything they see." Buffy exhales trying to keep her voice hushed so she doesn't disturb the other two in the car "Look between Greg Mendell, our weird tweets photos of his food freaky tourist and now your fiancée, this town is turning into a freaking circus. I've dealt with one circus town before, let me tell you it ain't fun."  
"Maybe I didn't think it all the way though." He argues, his voice raising slightly "I'm sorry. I just—I need her." Neal pauses "I'm sorry—I didn't mean—"  
Buffy cuts him off "Okay look I don't understand why you are apologising to me when you should be doing that to her. Trust me girls don't like being lied to. It's not exactly a big turn on."  
"Who's lying?" Neal asks confused by the accusation.  
"Who do you think?" Buffy asks sarcastically before rolling her eyes "Does she know those two little important things? 1—Who you really are, and 2—where you're really from?" Buffy listens for Neal's response only to hear silence, she sighs "Take my advice. Don't let her find out on her own. Tell her the truth, we women tend to like the truth. Which means everything."  
Buffy hears another phone ringing in the background before hearing Neal "That's her. Look I think—we're all connected now it might be nice for you two to talk. When you guys get back maybe just pop by and say hello."  
"Neal—"  
"She's bringing bagels."  
Buffy sighs "Fine." She then hangs up the phone, as she does Faith turns to her "Everything all right B."  
Buffy forces a smile on her face "Just dandy."

* * *

"So what now?" Buffy asks as they stop outside the portal.  
"Now we ditch the car." Faith says before climbing out, as she does Buffy's eyes widen "Wait leave my car?!"  
Faith shrugs "Yep. Look we'll clock it, all's fine in car and war or whatever the hell the saying is."  
"I don't think that is a saying." Henry points out as he leans forwards in the backseat.  
Faith glares at him before turning to Buffy "He's got a smart mouth, he definitely is your kid."  
Buffy rolls her eyes at the brunette before turning to Henry "Come on kid."  
The two of them climb out of the car and walk around to go stand by Faith, "So where is the portal thing-y?" Henry asks confused as she looks around the empty road.  
Faith chuckles "He talks like you to B. Never makes a lick of sense." Faith quickly throws a clear liquid onto the car and almost instantly it disappears "Wow Awesome!" Henry says as he stares wide eyed at the now invisible car.  
Faith chuckles before leading the two of them off the road and into the forest. The only walk for a few minutes before Faith comes to a stop, the dark slayer slowly picks up a rock and tosses it to the left of her. Instead of crashing into the nearby tree or landing on the ground the rock disappears mid air "Ahh, there it is." Faith say, pleased with herself. She slowly heads over to the invisible portal and turns to Buffy "Ready B? H?"  
Buffy glances at Henry before nodding "Let's do this." She says before her and Henry follow Faith through the portal.

* * *

2 Years Ago – San Francisco

"And now presenting the lethal and beautiful Buffy Summers AKA The Slayer." The announcer calls as he talks to the crowd in the small arena. "I know you've all paid a fortune for this..." The crowd cheers "...but now your money is well spent. The is the longest living slayer, considered the best to have ever lived and now you all get to see her do what she does best. Or do what slayers are often known for. Dying young." The crowd cheers again and they become even louder as they gate open revealing Buffy.  
Buffy is thrown into the ring, she slowly feels the affects of the drugs wearing off and groans as she sits up off the ground "What the hell?" She says as she looks around, as she spots the people she groans "Great, this again. Best day ever." She says sarcastically as she stands, wiping the dust and mud from her clothes.  
Buffy turns to the man standing about ten feet above her in a small box and listens carefully as he speaks "And her opponent for tonight, the undefeated and vicious Kaubuki Demon."  
The crowd cheers and moments later a reptilian like demon with a mashed up face walks into the ring.  
"Now the battle will begin!" The announcer calls "3, 2, 1!"

Before Buffy has the chance to do anything, the demon runs at her and tosses her into the wall. Buffy groans in pain and rolls onto her back, however suddenly the demon appears above her, he raises his foot and is about to crush Buffy's head but she quickly rolls away. She then swings out her leg and kicks him in the chest before flipping herself back up.  
The demon throws it's fist at her she blocks it and lands a hard punch to his gut, but he does the same, and throws her into the wall. He advances on her but she shoves her wrist upwards and breaks the demon's nose, she then grabs the side of his head and slams it into the wall, repeatedly.

As two knifes are dropping into the ring the demon manages to grab ahold of one, Buffy twists his arm as he swings at her and knocks it from his grasps. She grabs the knife and sends a roundhouse kick to his head and one to his chest, causing him to stumbling backwards.  
The demon manages to regain his balance and again swings at Buffy but she ducks and then flips her leg around kicking him in the face again, she brings her left leg up and shoves it into his chest sending him backwards.  
The demon grabs another knife "Otiosum. Ego occidam te et dabo te in cena corpus sumus."  
The demon swings his arm out at the blonde, she jumps out of the way, but the knife still manages to catch her in the stomach. Buffy glances down at the wound before turning her attention back to the demon, she swings her leg out but he sees it coming and ducks, he swings at her again but she flips backwards and grabs the other knife, she swings the knife at him but he deflects it before kicking her in the stomach, Buffy falls and he moves over, grabbing her before flipping her backwards causing her to land painful on the concrete floor, before she can do anything he swings the knife down. Buffy manages to grasp it between her palms and attempts to keep it off her as it slowly gets closer and closer towards her eyeball.

Buffy raises her back leg kicking him in the back of the head, she then wraps the same leg around his neck and tosses him to the ground, he grabs hold of her causing her to end up on top of him when Buffy hears a grunting noise she looks down to see the knife now embedded in his chest.  
Buffy looks down a the demon "Gross." She mutters before rolling off him and collapsing on the ground, she continues to breath heavily as the crowd cheers.

* * *

Latin most probably shitty translation - [Little whore. I'm going to kill you and make you my dinner.]


	47. Selfless, Brave and True - Part 2

**Westbury, England – Present Day**

"Jeez, it's cold." Buffy mutters as the three of them step out of the portal "Why is England so cold?"  
Faith shrugs "Beats me. Come on." Faith leads them through the forest; as they walk Henry and Buffy look around at the field "Where are we going?" Henry asks.  
"Here." Faith says as she steps towards a large bush, Buffy frowns in confusion "A bush? Are you going all looney tunes again?"  
Faith chuckles "Nope. Just normal amount of crazy B." Faith says before pulling the bush up, revealing a large jeep, "Get in." She says before climbing inside.  
The mother and son climb inside, as they do Buffy looks over at Faith "Don't kill us with your driving."  
Faith smirks "No promises." Faith then pushes her foot down on the peddle and suddenly the car zooms forward.  
"Where are we going?" Buffy asks, as she keeps a hold of Henry to make sure he doesn't go flying around the car.  
"Hospital."

* * *

"So they're in there." Buffy says as she stares at the entrance to the hospital.  
Faith nods "Yep. Whole gang...Are you ready for this?"  
Buffy takes a deep breath "As ready as I'll ever be." She turns to Henry "Ready to meet Giles kid."  
Henry grins "Yeah. Let's do it."  
Buffy smiles before placing a hand on his shoulder, Faith gives her a supportive smile so Buffy nods and the three slowly head inside.

* * *

"Giles goes into surgery soon, Faith said she would be here, where is she?" Dawn says to Willow, as she continues to pace in the hospital waiting room.  
Willow and Xander both sigh "I'm sure they will be here soon." Willow says trying to reassure her.  
At that moment the double doors open and in steps Faith followed by Buffy and a small boy, who couldn't be more than 11.  
"Hey guys." Faith says the three of them approach, as they do Buffy crouches down in front of Henry "Henry I'm gonna go talk to Giles, are you okay to stay here with Faith?"  
Henry nods "Yeah but—"  
"I know. Look, you can meet him, it's just...I haven't seen him in a long time so—can you just give me a couple minutes."  
Henry gives her small smile "Okay."  
Buffy turns to face the group Dawn steps towards her "Buffy—"  
Buffy shakes her head "I need to go see Giles, I'd appreciate it, if you could just wait till after." Buffy turns to look at Faith "Can you watch Henry please?"  
Faith nods "Sure, B."  
Buffy nods in thanks "But no teaching him how to pick up girls."  
"Oh come on B." Faith moans causing Buffy to smile softly before she turns to Willow "Where is he?"  
Willow gives her a small smile then points down the hall "Thanks." Buffy says before slowly making her way down the hall.

The three members of the Scooby gang turns to Faith and the small boy, Willow is the first one to speak, she bends down in front of the boy and smiles "Hi. I'm Willow."  
Henry smiles "I'm Henry. So you're the witch right?"  
Willow chuckles "Yep that's me."  
Xander raises an eyebrow "Buff—your mom, she talks about us?"  
Henry nods "Every now and then she tell us about little bits from before. Plus that Whistler guy showed up and told us some things. She did mention an Angel a couple times though."  
"Angel huh? He was a big part of her life."  
Henry nods "Yeah, I guess that's why she went after the thing that killed him."  
Xander and Willow's eyes widen and they look up at Faith who nods in confirmation.  
Xander sighs before turning to the boy "So kid, tell us all the trouble the Buffster has gotten herself into."  
Henry smiles and flops down onto the chair "Well, she beat Captain Hook at a sword battle when she was in the Enchanted Forest."  
All three of them stare wide eyed "What?!" They exclaims, while Faith simple chuckles.

* * *

Buffy exhales slowly as she prepares herself to head inside the room, she slowly enters the room and pauses momentarily when she spots Giles lying in the bed.  
"Buffy." He breaths, Buffy smiles at him awkwardly and gives him a small wave "Yeah. It's me."  
Giles smiles at her "You look well."  
Buffy chuckles "Same." She says as she walks over to stand by the bed. She stays silent for a moment before speaking "Giles—"  
"I'm sorry." He says cutting her off.  
Buffy frowns in confusion "What?"  
"I'm sorry, Buffy for what happened all those years ago."  
Buffy shakes her head "No. Um...it's not all on you guys. I made some bad decisions during the war—"  
Giles shakes his head "It was war Buffy, people die in war and we didn't want to accept that."  
Buffy nods slowly "I know but maybe if I hadn't made some of the decisions I did less people would have died."  
"We all made decisions we regret during the war."

Buffy smiles at him softly "I forgave you all a long time ago, I just didn't really forgive myself, I live with that guilt everyday. I tried to escape it and then more things happened that made me want to keep myself away." Buffy takes a deep breath "I killed people Giles, I was locked up somewhere where they tortured me and when I escaped..." Buffy voice wavers "I'm not the person that I was. And I never can be again."  
Giles looks at her sadly his eyes full of guilt and remorse "Buffy." He says softly before hugging her "You are the strongest person I know and you are the person I always hoped you would be." Giles tells her as he clutches the woman who was the closest thing to a daughter he had ever had.

After a few moment Buffy pulls away and smiles at Giles softly "Giles, would like to meet my son?"  
Giles stares at her stunned "He's here?"  
Buffy nods "Yeah."

* * *

"So your dad, who Buff met when she was 15... is Rumpelstilkin's son?" Xander asks in complete astonishment as he stares at the young grinning boy.  
"Yep." Henry answers immediately.  
He then looks up at Faith as she speaks "Oh, wait till you hear bout B's birth parents, that may make you go insane."  
"Henry!" Buffy calls as she re-enters the room.  
Henry jumps off his seat and looks over at Buffy "Yeah?"  
Buffy gives him a small smile "There is someone I want you to meet."

* * *

"You ready kid?" Buffy asks her son as they stand outside Giles' room.  
Henry nods "Yeah."  
Buffy smiles at him before pushing the front door open, the two make their way inside "Giles, this is Henry. Henry this is Giles."  
"Hi." Henry says enthusiastically.  
Buffy smiles and turns to Giles "He's been wanting to meet the watcher. Henry has a thing for books."  
Giles smiles and turns to Henry "It's a pleasure to meet you Henry."  
"So you trained my mom, right?" Henry asks as he sits in the chair by Giles' bed.  
Giles nods and smiles fondly at the boy "I did. Although she wasn't much for traditional methods."  
Henry chuckles "Yeah, she said she wasn't a research gal, I don't get it, reading those books must be awesome, you could learn some awesome demon language."  
Giles chuckles "I see curiosity skips a generation." He says to Buffy.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Please you're just happy that my kid is watcher Jr."

* * *

The three talk for a while until one of the nurses comes into the room, "I'm sorry." She tells them "But I have to take him, now."  
Buffy looks back as Giles and squeezes his hand "You're gonna be okay, alright?"  
Giles gives her a small smile before he is rolled out of the room.

* * *

Buffy and Henry slowly make their way back into the waiting room, as Xander,Willow and Dawn turn to face them, Buffy crouches down in front of Henry and fixes his jacket "Why don't you go get us some snacks from the vending machine." Henry nods and takes the money off her before heading down the hall.  
Buffy watches him go for a second before she stands and turns back to the group, Buffy takes a seat in one of the chairs; as Faith sits next to her the others sit in the chairs opposite her.  
The five of them sit their awkwardly for a moment before Faith stands, startling them "You know what, me and B got no beef, close as can be, so I'm gonna go chill with the kid. Have fun."  
Buffy begins to panic "Faith!" She calls but the other slayer simply ignores her and continues down the hall, "Traitor." Buffy mutters before slowly turning back to the three, who are watching her intently.

Buffy starts to get wigged out "Why are you staring at me? It's giving me the wigs."  
Willow is the first to speak "Sorry, it's just, your so..."  
"Different." Buffy finishes "A lot has changed, a lot happened to me, had to adapt to my surroundings."  
Dawn at this point cuts in "How comes we couldn't find you?"  
Buffy sighs "Angel had a warlock shield me."  
"Dragomir." Willow realizes.  
Buffy nods "Yep. The big creep. But it also helps when you're good a covering your tracks, you move around enough you don't leave anything behind."  
"So where did you go?" Xander asks curiously,  
"Lot of places Chicago, Boston, New York even Vegas. Basically anywhere I could disappear. Although that didn't exactly pan out in San Francisco."  
Dawn frowns in confusion "What happened there?"  
"Something I try not to think about. Let's just say, that after what happened there, the person that I was died, along with a lot of other people and demons."

Buffy takes a deep breath and looks up at Dawn "I'm guessing you want to know about the whole me being adopted thing."  
Her younger sister nods "Yeah, it doesn't make sense, you died so that I would live, and the only reason you could do that was because we had to same blood."  
Buffy takes a deep breath "Okay, look before I explain that part, I'm gonna tell you something crazy." Buffy chuckles to herself "I was born in a place called The Enchanted Forest. I was sent to this world to break a curse. My parents...Snow White and Prince Charming were the ones that sent me to this world, almost 10 minutes after I was born."  
The three stare at Buffy in silence for several minutes as they let this new piece of information sink in, the silence is broken however as Xander bursts out in laughter "Good to see you haven't lost your sense of humour Buff."  
Buffy shakes her head "I'm not kidding. Trust me I wish I was. Managed to convince myself it wasn't true, but then Henry almost died and the curse broke, then Whistler showed up and spilled the beans."

The three of them stare at her stunned "Wow." Willow breaths.  
Dawn turns to her sister "Wait, does that make you a princess?"  
Buffy groans, "I'm no princess. But with the blood thing, Whistler explained it, saying that I had your blood on my hands, so the Powers That Be used basically every little bit of power they had to make the portal believe I was you."

Buffy takes a deep breath "So how are the slayers?"  
Willow nods "Their ok. Most of them went home and anyone's we helped did the same, a lot of them weren't exactly okay with having their life's on the line. We still have a few who live with us in Cleveland though."  
Buffy nods "It's good... that they have a choice now."  
Dawn smiles at her sister "We thought about what you said about slayers never having a choice, so after we trained them we gave them a choice, to stay or go home back to their normal lives."  
Buffy smiles "Thank you." Buffy takes a deep breath "Look I'm sorry I left the way I did, I guess after everything that happened between the all of us, I just—I just needed some time by myself to reexamine my life and my feelings about everything."  
"Did you ever consider coming back?" Dawn asks, terrified of what her answer may be.  
Buffy nods hesitantly "When I was in San Francisco, but then something happened... after that I just wanted to disappear from everything."  
"We're sorry." The three tell her.  
Xander turns to Buffy "We were all scared and after what happened I guess we just..."  
Willow cuts in "...we didn't know what to do. We blamed you for everything and we shouldn't have. After everything we had been through over the years, we should have trusted you more."  
Buffy nods "Look, I get it, it was war and people died, it freaks all of us out and I wasn't exactly happy peppy Buffy like normal."  
Dawn interjects "It doesn't change the fact that we shouldn't have made you leave. I just wish everything had gone differently."  
"We all do." Xander tells her.

The four of them stay in a contempt silence for a few minutes before Willow speaks up "So you have a son?"  
Buffy chuckles "Yeah. That's...to say complicated is an understatement. I had Henry when I was 15, met a thief when I broke into a stolen car and things happened. He set me up for a crime, that's why I had to come back from our aunt's so quickly, cops called mom and dad. Anyway when my watcher found out he warned me of the danger, so...I agreed to give up Henry for adoption. A witch clocked my pregnancy so no demons would go looking for him."  
Willow looks at her sympathetically "I'm so sorry, Buffy. But why didn't you ever tell us?"  
Buffy sighs "I just wanted to move past it, Henry was safer without me, so I tried to forget it."  
Xander looks at her curiously "So how did you guys end up back together?"  
"Funny enough he found me through 'find your momma dot org' which cause there was no paperwork confused me, but the witch that hid my pregnancy created a trail for him. He tracked me to my apartment, even knew my fake name."  
Dawn laughs "Seriously, you were using a fake name? Did people actually think you were normal then?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Shut up, my name is awesome. And yes, I've used a lot of different names in the past few years, but when Henry found me I was going by Emma Swan."  
The three chuckle before Xander looks up and says something unexpected "I'm sorry about Angel."

* * *

A few hours later, Henry had fallen asleep and was currently leaning his head against Buffy's shoulder, Buffy was leaning against the chair. The six of them sit there in silence, eagerly awaiting for news on Giles.  
At that moment the surgeon appears, Buffy carefully places Henry's head against the armrest where she had placed her jacket as a pillow for him, before standing.  
Her, Willow, Xander as well as Faith and Dawn turn to the doctor, "How is he?" Buffy asks.  
The doctor turns to the blond "He's alive, however there was a complication during surgery. Mr. Giles suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage."  
Buffy frowns in confusion "A what now?"  
"It's caused by a bleed in the brain." The doctor explains, "We did what we could however it was too severe and Mr. Giles slipped into a coma."  
"Oh, god." Willow breaths, her voice shaking.  
"But, we were able to remove the whole of the tumour, now all we can do is wait and see if he wakes."  
Buffy takes a deep breath and looks up at the doctor sadly "How long till he wakes?"  
"Well, it could be from a few days to several weeks. It depends on whether or not he's body is strong enough to keep fighting. The surgery was not an easy one and it takes a toll, but we shall see."  
Xander nods "Thank you, Doctor Hemeries.

The doctor nods and turns away from them and heads down the hall. Buffy sighs but then spots the 10 missed calls on her phone and sighs.  
"You need to go, don't you?" Willow asks.  
Buffy hesitates but Willow offers a supportive smile "Don't worry, we'll call you if he wakes up."  
"Thank you." Buffy tells her, the blonde hesitates for a moment before hugging both Willow and Xander.  
Buffy then turns back to Dawn who immediately wraps her arms around her "No matter what...you are my sister." Buffy whispers to her before pulling away.  
"I love you." Dawn tells her.  
Buffy smiles "I love you too, Dawnie." Buffy gives her sister a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder before walking over to Henry and crouching down next to him "Henry." She whispers "Come on. We got to go."  
Henry stirs and looks up at Buffy sleeply "Already? Is Giles okay?"  
Buffy gives him a sad smile "Not yet, but there is nothing we can do, and we got to get back."

Henry nods and stands up, grabbing his back pack; he then turns to the group and hugs Dawn "Is was nice meeting you aunt Dawn."  
Dawn smiles "I'm an aunt." She says happily before hugging him back "It was nice to meet you to Henry."  
Henry pulls away and turns to Willow and Xander giving them both hugs as well "It was nice to meet you Willow and Xander."  
Xander smikes "Call me uncle Xandman."  
"Do not call him Xandman." Buffy tells her son, rolling her eyes.  
Buffy takes Henry's hand and walks over to Faith, right before they leave Buffy turns back to her friends "I'll see you guys soon." She tells them before following Faith out of the hospital.

* * *

"So this is it." Faith says as she leads Henry and Buffy to the portal back to Maine. Buffy turns to her fellow slayer and gives her a smile "Thank you, for everything Faith."  
Faith just shrugs her off "No probs. But if you really want to help a girl out send me a bottle of bourbon every now and then."  
Buffy chuckles "You got it. Take care of yourself Faith. And if you ever need any help—"  
Faith cuts her off "I know. Same applies." The dark haired slayer then turns to Henry "Take care of your mom, right kid? Make sure she doesn't get into any trouble...well more than normal."  
Henry nods swiftly "Yes m'am." He says giving her a mock salute.  
Faith laughs softly before running her hands through his hair and messing up his hair, "You're a good, kid."  
Buffy gives Faith one more smile before her and Henry step through the portal.


	48. Selfless, Brave and True - Part 3

Once they got back to Storybrooke, and had let David know of their return, both Buffy and Henry headed straight to Neal's where they were currently eating bagels with Neal and his fiancée, as an awkward silence filled the room.  
"So how'd you guys meet?" Henry asks, obviously curious.  
Neal stays quiet, so Tamara speaks for the both of them "Um...well, I was super late to work, rushing like crazy, guzzling my giant coffee, when this guy crashed into me. My coffe soaked my blouse. There was no time to change, so Neal gave me his scarf to hide the stains, and he said I could keep it or call him if I wanted to return it." The couple both chuckles "Well, I decided to call and we've been together ever since."  
Buffy smiles "Sounds sweet, except for the burning coffee on your chest, I mean ouch."  
Tamara chuckles "Luckily it was cold."  
"Me and Henry kind of had a long day of travel so I've got to drop him off with his grandpa and unfortunately get back to my day job. Thank you for the bagel though."  
Buffy stands and Henry moves to follow her "It was nice meeting you, Tamara." Henry says before turning to Neal who tries to hand him the storybook "Here, you go, buddy."  
"Why don't you hold on to that?" Henry suggests.  
Neal nods, even though he was slightly confused "Okay. See you."  
Henry then follows Buffy and heads out.

* * *

"Buffy!" Snow says as she spots her daughter sitting at the bar at Granny's "You're back?"  
"Well, yeah. You're the one that called me." Buffy frowns in confusion.  
Snow shakes her head "Sorry. I forgot for a split second, how's...Giles?"  
Buffy sighs "He's in a coma, Wil's gonna call me when... or if he wakes up. But enough about my day. What was with the crazy urgent phone call?"  
"It's August." Snow says simply "I found him."  
Marco who had been sitting next to Buffy turns to face them "My boy? He's alive?"  
Snow nods "Yes, but...he's completely wooden. He's been living in an abandoned trailer down near the toll bridge."  
Buffy looks at her worried "We can do something right?"  
"No. But I know someone who who might be able to—mother superior."  
Marco nods "Yes. Yes she helped once. She can help again. She must!"

* * *

"I know about August." The blue fairy informs them "He came to shortly after the curse broke and asked if I would return him to what he was."  
Buffy frowns in confusion "And you didn't because..."  
"Because what he was is what he is." She elaborates before turning to Marco  
"Do you remember the morning I found you on that beach all those years ago? The day I turned you son into a real boy?"  
Marco nods as a soft smile crosses his lips "Yes. It was the happiest day of my life."  
"I told Pinocchio so long as he remained brave, truthful and unselfish he would remain a real boy. I'm afraid he did not and that's why there's nothing I can do for him."  
Snow nods as she joins in on the conversation "It's true he's done some things he regrets. We all have. But shouldn't he have another chance?"  
"If there is still a faith of redemption for August, it is one that he must travel on his own. No one can force him or it will not be true."  
Snow sighs sadly then turns to Marco, who had a look of despair on his face "Don't despair Marco, I'm know there is still hope for your son, there has to be."

* * *

"This is all my fault." Marco says as the three make their way through the woods.  
Snow glances over at him "Our children make their own decisions, Marco. You can't blame yourself for anything that's happened."  
Buffy nods "It's true, us kids, we're stupid." She jokes hoping to lighten the dire mood.  
"I can blame myself." He tells her before turning to Snow "And you should blame me, too. The wardrobe I built for you." He moves in front of them causing Snow and Buffy to stop in their tracks "The one that transported Buffy to this world—she did not go alone." He tells them.  
Buffy stares at him confused while Snow simple shakes her head "Of course she did. The wardrobe only had enough magic to transport one person."  
Snow moves to carry on walking but Marco moves in front of her "No, that was a lie I made the blue fairy tell you. It had enough magic to transport two, and it sis- your daughter...and my son Pinocchio."  
Snow's face falls as she realises what this meant "I could have gone with her? With Buffy?" Snow asks, her voice full of emotion.  
Marco nods sadly "There is no apology I could give that could ever make up for what I did. But I am so sorry."  
Suddenly Snow slaps him across the face, Buffy stares stunned "Mary Margaret. He's apologising that's often the time not to slap them, so what the hell?"  
Snow continues to stare at her hand, shocked by her own actions before looking up at Marco who was now speaking "No, no, that's okay. I deserve that."  
Snow shakes her head "No, that wasn't me. Marco, I am so sorry. I'm not myself, You just made a mistake. I would have done the same for my child. I forgive you."  
"No. I burdened him with a weight no child should have to bear, and I called it love."  
At that moment Snow looks over and spots the trailer, Marco notices and turns to see the trailer before running towards it, however as he enters he find it empty.

* * *

As they continue through the woods Buffy's phone begins to ring "This is Buffy." She says as she answers the phone "Buffy, It's August." August says, his tone of voice urgent.  
"August." Buffy questions still in shock,  
"Listen to me..." He tells her "...I have to warn you."  
Suddenly the line is cut just as he tells her he has to warn her "August?" Buffy calls "August, warn me. You can't stop there, this isn't a movie were you are trying to build suspense." Buffy pulls the phone away and looks at Marco and Snow worried "The line was cut."

* * *

David, Buffy, Marco, Snow and Henry make their way to the station, "August is still at the station." David tells Buffy as he looks at the tracer "But he's not picking up."  
Buffy turns her attention just in time to see August come wobbling out of the station "August!" Buffy yells before running over and catching his head as he falls.  
"August?" Buffy says worried as she holds his head slightly off the ground.  
Marco looks down sadly as his son "My boy. My boy. What happened to you?"  
"I'm so sorry, papa." August tells him weakly.  
"No. There is nothing to apologise for. Everything is going to be alright." He assures him.  
August turns his head to face Buffy "Buffy." He says as he moves to sit up, Buffy helps lift him, he moves to try and speak into her ear "Buffy...she's...she..." August gasps quietly before he stops breathing. "No." Marco cries as he clutches him closely.  
Buffy looks down at him sadly, grief filling her eyes. She stands and spots Neal heading towards them, as he does he spots August and freezes "August?"  
"NO." Snow says sadly "It can't end this way. He was supposed to get a second chance."  
"What happened?" Neal asks, confused as to what could have possible happened to cause this.  
Buffy glances over at him "Someone, whose ass I am definitely going to kick killed him, to stop him from telling us whatever it wads he knew. Which I'm guessing was pretty damn important." Buffy turns to Marco "He died to try and warn us, I promise I will find who did this."

Henry who had been staring at August intently mutters quietly under his breath "Brave...truthful...and unselfish." He then turns to Buffy "Brave, truthful and unselfish. Don't you see what this means. That's what Pinocchio was supposed to be. There is still hope, we need to blue fairy."  
"I'm here, Henry." Blue says as she appears out of no where.  
Buffy frowns "Is there like a fairy symbol that goes up in the sky everything one of us says your name?"  
Snow sighs at Buffy's question before turning to Blue "What does Henry mean."  
"I was able to turn Pinocchio into a real boy..." the fairy explains "...after he sacrificed his life for Marco's. If his actions today were indeed brave, truthful and unselfish, then you're right. There's a chance I can do it again." She says to Henry confirming his hypophysis.  
"Please..." Marco begs "I beg of you. Try."

The fairy nods and waves her wand, as she does a blue light covers August's body and suddenly he is turned back into a boy. Pinocchio slowly opens his eyes and looks over at Marco "Father?"  
Marco cries in joy "Pinocchio. Look." He says as he takes his hand.  
"I'm a real boy." The boy says cheerfully "I'm a real boy."  
Buffy who barely notices Tamara appear focuses on Pinocchio, she bends down to get to his level and gives him a small smile "Pinocchio? I gotta ask you something and it's kinda a little bit important. So I need you to think real hard, but not literally, okay? Before you turned back into a little man, you were about to spill some information for us. Do you remember what it was?"  
Pinocchio shakes his head "I don't remember." Buffy's face falls "If I did, I would be truthful, I promise."


	49. Lacey

Buffy climbs out of the car and looks over at the field in confusion "Someone wanna explain why we are in the middle of nowhere. We already live in a town, which is the middle of nowhere, I really don't need a reminder. So spill, what's the deal?"  
"It's best if you see it." Snow tells her.  
Buffy looks around and frowns before turning back to Snow "Unless I'm going insane, there is nothing here. So here's an idea, whatever weird thing you wanna show me can wait till later. I kinda need to deal with the whole August almost murder-y thing."  
David gives a her a small reassuring smile "Doesn't matter."  
Buffy stares at him for a second "Is everyone off their meds at the moment, or am I just in an alternative reality? How does that not matter?"

Snow reaches over and takes Buffy's hand "Because of this." She says as she and David lead Buffy into the empty field. A second later the growing beans appear themselves to Buffy, Buffy stares with wide eyes until someone calling her name causes her to turn her attention to the large man running towards her. "Buffy." Anton says happily as he runs over and gives the blonde a hug "Are you here to help?" He asks her "It's not quite harvest time yet."  
As he pulls away Buffy stares around the field in complete shock, her mouth hanging open "Beans." She realises. "Your growning those magic bean-y things. Was that what you guys were doing when I was in New York and when I was in England?" She asks her parents "Why didn't you get with the telling me thing sooner?"  
David chuckles softly "We are telling you. We kept it a secret to protect the crop. Mother superior—she cloaked the area. That way, Anton can do what he does best."  
Anton smirks "Actually, you haven't seen me play darts. But, uh, yeah, I do this pretty good."  
Buffy turns to the giant turned man "So, um, colour me confused but you were not this small last time I saw you."  
"Cora." Anton says simply "She and Regina brought some magic to make me human-sized."  
"Like Alice in Wonderland?" Buffy asks forgetting he won't understand the reference, Buffy shakes her head "Sorry. So what do you think of the new you?"  
"Kind of like it." He tells her, before Leroy approaches with his normal frown printed on his face "Enough lollygagging!" He orders "Back to it."  
"Wow." Anton says as he turns back to Buffy "Dwarves really like to work. It's great to see you, Buffy." He tells her before making his way back to the beans.

As he does Buffy chuckles slightly "You, too." She then turns to face her parents and frowns "You didn't tell me for one reason. You want to go back. You do remember the gross ogres and the destruction of property right?"  
"We can fix all that." David assures her "We did it before. We can do it again."  
"We can start over, Buffy." Snow says as she stands next to her husband.  
Buffy turns to the raven haired woman "So you are all with the going back, now too huh?"  
"In my heart I know it's what I need to do. After what I did to Cora, I think restoring our land is the best way to mend it."  
"It'll be good for all of us, the whole family..." David, says in agreement with his wife "Henry...and you."  
Buffy's eyes widen as she listens to Snow "We're from there. You're from there."  
Buffy shakes her head "You thought—No. This world...as sucky as it is it's my home."  
"And it's been nothing but cruel to you." David reminds her "And if you go back maybe you can have the chance to have your happy ending."  
Buffy shakes her head again, "I'll admit this world can suck, but I was raised here, my mother raised me here, the love of my life is buried in this world and my family and friends...I'm finally talking to them again." Buffy takes a deep shaky breath "I just need some time."

* * *

Buffy is staring at the storybook by the docks when Regina approaches her "Reading up on Henry's father?" She asks "Or maybe his grandfather?"  
Buffy groans "Could you maybe not remind me of that, still makes me throw a little in my mouth, I'm trying to suppress it."  
Regina tilts her head "You're not the only one. So how long did you think you can keep that from me?"  
Buffy shrugs "I'm sorry, it kinda dropped to the bottom of my to do list when you and your mom were trying to kill me and my family, my bad."  
Regina looks away for a moment before sighing "What is he doing here?"  
"Neal?" Buffy asks "Relax, he wants to try the whole spending time with his kid thing yatatatata."  
"Funny, he didn't seem to want to spend time with him the first ten years of his life. But then again, neither did you."  
Buffy scoffs "I was 15 and a slayer, aka meaning attraction for death and danger, trust me, if that hadn't been the case things may be very different than they are now. But we are in this world now, so here's a suggestion why don't you stop focusing on everyone else and maybe get back to trying to be the person Henry wants you to be. You never know what can happen, one day you may lose him for good."  
Regina frowns at Buffy's statement "For good? What does that mean?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "It means nothing, I'm not you, not everything I say comes with an ulterior motive motive."  
"No." Regina says as she looks at Buffy intently "You're hiding something. Well, whatever it is, I can assure you of one thing. I'm going to find out.

* * *

Buffy opens the front door and immediately a smile of amusement crosses her face "Did you shoot him with a tranquilizer gun or something?" She asks as she looks at Neal who was currently carrying a sleeping Henry over his shoulder.  
"I just gave him a coupe Bourbons." He jokes as he enters the apartment "Kid's a real lightweight."  
Buffy chuckles as she closes the door "That may be my fault, Buffy and booze doesn't always work out well." She says as she watches Neal place Henry on the couch "Anyway I'm guessing the day was good."  
Neal nods "Yeah. Spent most it at the park. He's getting pretty good with those wooden swords. I guess that makes sense considering you're his mother plus where his family is from."  
Buffy nods as she places a blanket over Henry before sighing as her and Neal head into the other room "Have you—you ever thought of going back there?"  
"Back where?" He asks her confused.  
Buffy sits down as she answers "The Enchanted Forest. Where we're from."  
"Uh...I spent most of my life trying to forget that place. I didn't exactly have a fairytale childhood. Why do you ask?" He asks her as he himself takes a seat opposite her.  
"No reason."  
"Would you?" He asks her curiously.  
Buffy shrugs "Honestly if you had asked me a week ago I would have maybe said why the hell not, got nothing here anymore, but now—I'm finally on good terms with my friends again and my sister, I—I don't know."

The two sit there in silence for a few moment before Neal grins "August came by the park today. He and Henry seemed to really hit it off."  
Buffy shakes her head "That is still wigging me out, I'm still expecting to see him on his motorbike wearing a leather jacket before going to grab a scotch from Granny's."  
"You know, I gotta say, he's actually a lot cooler as a kid." Neal tells her sheepishly "Steals less of my money."

"I'd say he'd be a lot more in the cool zone if his memories of being an adult would appear and help us out. But that might just disturb the child version of him."  
Neal chuckles "Probably."  
"Storybrooke isn't safe." Buffy says as she thinks about what August told her "Isn't safe from who? Or is it whom?"  
"I think it's who and well he always had a knack for being cryptic." Neal inhales deeply "Don't worry about it. You'll figure it out. If there's one thing I know about you, it's you don't stop till you find what you're looking for."

* * *

 **2 Years Ago – San Francisco**

Buffy takes a large gulp of air as her head is finally raised from the tank of water, she coughs up the water that had invaded her lungs and managed to quickly grab another breath before her head is again shoved into the stone cold water. Buffy struggles as she tries to free herself but thanks to Crystal, the man currently charged with torturing Buffy had been given extra strength so he could hold his own against her, plus it didn't help with the fact that they had also drugged her to keep her strength down.  
As he pulls her head back out Buffy takes a deep breath and gasps loudly, she turns her head slightly and glares at the man "I'm gonna enjoying kicking your ass."

The man smirks at her "Good luck with that. You ain't ever getting out of here." He says as he yanks her to her feet and drags her across the room and towards a large metal chair. He tosses her harshly into the chair before chaining her arms and legs to it. Buffy watches as he places her feet inside a bowl of water and her eyes widen as he then attaches several wires to her head. Buffy pulls at the chains and tries to move but suddenly she screams and her body shakes violently as a large voltage of electricity hits her.

When it finally stops Buffy is panting heavily, she slowly looks over to him and glares at him "That the best you got?" She taunts causing him to growl at her before he turns the dial on the machine next to her up to it's highest setting. Buffy feels the pain immediately and screams in agony "Ahhhhhhhh!"


	50. The Evil Queen

"So how is he?" Buffy asks Willow as they speak on the phone,  
"He's still the same." The witch tells her sadly, "The doctor's say the longer he stays in the coma they less likely that he will wake up."  
Buffy sighs and continues to pace the living room "Isn't there anything we can do?"  
"No. Magic can't fix him, what's happening to him isn't mystical."  
Buffy groans "Great so, I finally get a bit of magic and I can't even help Giles."  
Buffy frowns as Willow goes dead silent "Wil?"  
Suddenly Willow coughs "I'm sorry, just a bit—did you say you have magic?"  
Buffy groans again "You caught that huh?"  
"Bit hard to miss, especially when you drop a bomb like that while talking to a witch. When did this happen?" Willow asks still shocked, but her voice has an underlying hint of excitement.  
"Turns out I've always had it, just never been able to access it, cause my magic is from The Enchanted Forest so only works for their type of magic, it's all with the complicated crap and stuff."  
"Wow." Willow breaths "You have magic. Buffy—that's amazing!"  
"Not really, plus I barely have it, I've used it twice. Once to create a forcefield which was near enough taken down 30 seconds later. And the second is when a crazy witch tried to rip out my heart."  
"What?!" Willow exclaims.  
Buffy understanding her shock tries to explain "Look there were no knifes or pointy objects involved, but she did this thing which allows her to pull someone's heart out, it allows her to control them."  
"Wait so they are still alive?"  
"Yep, just no heart in the chest."  
"Wow. That's fascinating." Willow says with the cheerfulness of a child "I need to look into this, this type of magic sounds pretty cool."  
Buffy chuckles slightly "Yeah, awesome but almost having your heart ripped out when you push your birth mother out of the way to save her is not exactly as painless as it seems. Anyway some buzz of magic came out of my chest and sent her flying across the field."  
"You're life is so different now."  
"And just a complicated."  
Willow inhales a deep breath before speaking again "So your parents..."  
"Yeah." Buffy sighs "That's even more complicated."  
Suddenly Buffy hears another voice in the background on the other line "Buffy, I'm sorry but one of the girls has a test at school tomorrow."  
"So you got to go be tutor girl, it's fine."  
"I'm sorry." Willow tells her.  
"No, biggy." Buffy assures her "I'm gonna head to Granny's anyway."  
"Alright, well um—if you want to talk about magic or your parents, know that I'm here."  
Buffy smiles softly "I know, Thank you. Oh, and Wil—I'm glad that we—"  
"Me too." Willow says immediately.  
Buffy chuckles softly "Okay, I'll talk to you soon. Bye."

* * *

Buffy walks into Granny's and immediately crashes into Tamara, who drops her food "I'm so sorry!" Buffy tells her "I'm a spaz."  
Buffy quickly bends down to help her pick up her lunch, Tamara chuckles "It's fine."  
Buffy looks down at the sandwiches before looking up at Tamara "Mayo still a big no no, huh?" She asks before she looks at the paper she had picked up, which had a list of all the town residence and their fairytale identities.  
"Avoids it like the plague." Tamara tells her as Buffy hands her back the paper. The two stand and Buffy tries to make small talk "So how's the adjustment, to crazy town also know at Storybrooke? The craziness can make a person want to run for the hills, it's kinda nuts."  
Tamara laughs "Understatement. But, uh...I guess you know that better than anyone."  
Buffy shrugs "Sort of, but I grew up in a weird place. This reminds me of home, just less violence. Plus I had Henry, he got me through the whole 'fairytales, seriously?' Stage."  
Tamara nods "Right, Yeah, Neal's doing the same for me."  
Buffy hesitates for a second "Yeah, but this is still crazy town and from experience I would say if the world out side knew the truth—"  
Sensing where she was going with this, Tamara interjects "Look, Buffy, you don't have to worry. You can trust me."  
Buffy gives her a smile that Tamara returns "Thanks, cleared my panicky Buffy brain."  
Tamara slightly "No problem. Be seeing you."  
"You too." Buffy says as she watches Tamara head for the door, as she watches the smile on Buffy's face falls.

* * *

"I'm not crazy." Buffy says as she follows Snow into the living room "I'm telling you, Tamara is the she person August got all zapped by before he tried to warn us."  
"Buffy!" Snow exclaims "Shh"  
"What? Don't Buffy me!"  
Snow looks at the upper floor of the house before turning back to Buffy and whispering "Henry is upstairs. Look I know this has been hard for you. Losing Angel and Giles being in a coma and now Neal..."  
"This isn't about any of that." Buffy tells her "This is about the puppet man that is-or was August. He died—well sort of, trying to warn us about some she person. Look, I know I sound crazy and trust me, many people have thought that over the years but she has a list of the people that live here and their fairytale names. Is that gonna raise one of your eyebrows?"  
Snow lowers her voice "There could be a million explanations for what you saw."  
"Okay, so tell me something, what do we know about her? I'll tell you, jack squat. Plus she lied to me, said 'oh Buffy you can trust me' Bullcrap. Lie."  
Snow looks down for a second before sighing "But your superpower has been knows to be unreliable, Buffy."  
Buffy frowns "Since when?" She mouths to herself before turning back to Snow.  
"Especially when you're emotional."  
Buffy scoffs and turns to Snow as she heads for the door "Look, I'm not emotional."  
"Buffy, the love of your life died, and now someone you care deeply about is in a coma. Maybe all this with Neal is just overwhelming you."  
Buffy chuckles in disbelief "Nope. Look if you think I have feelings for Neal. Nada."|  
"Well, that may be..." Snow lowers her voice again "...but if you tell Henry that you think his dad's fiancée may be up to something, then Henry's gonna think there's a chance that his parents will get back together. Henry doesn't know what Angel was to you so that's what he'll think. So keep it to yourself, please. Till you know something more." Snow requests before leaving the apartment.

Buffy stares at the now closed door for a second before Henry's voice startles her "So...we're back in business."  
Buffy's eyes widen "How's you—How did I not—Oh, that's just creepy, you're too much like me with the silent creepy thing."  
Henry chuckles "Yep. So Operation Cobra's back on. We're investigating Tamara, right?"  
Buffy hesitates for a few seconds "Get your coat."

* * *

"Operation Cobra was about breaking the curse." Henry says as him and Buffy sit in her car across the street from Granny's "This is about keeping Storybrooke Secret. We need a new name."  
Buffy thinks for a moment "Operation Key."  
Henry raises an eyebrow "Why Key?"  
Buffy chuckles "Because kid, your aunt Dawn used to be a magical ball of energy known as The Key."  
"Really?"  
Buffy nods "Yep. Monks formed the key a human body and gave me memories of having a sister."  
"Okay. That's awesome but why key."  
Buffy smiles at she elaborates "Because, the key was hidden in plain sight, but we had to keep it secret from the person searching for it."  
Henry thinks for a moment "I like it, but I think something like Praying Mantis sounds way more cool."  
Buffy is about to argue her case when she hears the door bell at Granny's jingle "Oh! Duck!"  
Buffy peeks her head out through the window, only to see a random man not Tamara or Neal "False alarm." She tells Henry before sitting back up.  
"Stakeouts are fun." Henry says as he turns to Buffy.  
Buffy shrugs "Mine normal ended with getting mud on my jeans because of the graveyard, so not really. But this one, totally is."

As they watch the cafe they continue to talk "I thought by now we'd be having adventures. Maybe like the ones Mr. Giles told me about. Or over there, you know? Riding horses, shooting bow and arrows. This cool too. I still think it would be cooler if you teach me how to use the crossbow though."  
Buffy chuckles "So not gonna happen." Buffy pauses "Would that be something you want, the horses adventure thing, not the destroying stuff in the apartment with a crossbow thing. If there was a way to go back there, would you want to?"  
Henry looks at her intently for a moment "Is there?"  
Buffy shakes her head "of course not."  
Henry grins "There is. A way back. The—a bean or something. The giant brought it didn't he."  
Buffy groans "You are smart,too smart. Mom would have loved it. Plus no wonder Willow likes you, she sees you as the next mini Willow."  
Henry grins "That's awesome. We could get like a castle. You, me and Neal."  
"No." Buffy exclaims "There is no way in hell that is—"  
"Duck!"  
Both quickly duck and Buffy peeks up and see Tamara and Neal heading away from Granny's.  
"Operation Praying Mantis is on." Henry grins.  
Buffy sighs "We still haven't agreed on that name."

* * *

"Hold on." Buffy tells Henry, as she tries to pick the lock to Tamara and Neal's room "Almost there."  
Henry frowns in confusion "Why don't you just break the lock?"  
Buffy chuckles "Because I can't exactly make it look like we didn't break in if I break the lock, now can I?"  
"Oh, that makes sense." Henry pauses for a second "So once we find proof that Tamara's evil, I guess the wedding's off?"  
Buffy's eyes widen, as she gets Henry's hint, "Dude, Neal and I, under no circumstances will be getting back together. Like ever ever. You do realise that, right?"  
"I mean, once he's single, it could happen. Thrown together, moonlight, wine..."

Buffy takes a deep breath "Do you remember the man I told you about, the one that died?"  
Henry nods, slightly confused as to the change of topic "Angel. Yeah, why?"  
Buffy takes a deep breath and quickly pulls her necklace out from under her shirt where Angel's ring lay "Because Henry, I loved him very much, I still do, so trust me when I say that when I'm onto Tamara it does no way in hell have to deal with Neal."  
Henry looks at her sadly for a second before nodding, Buffy gives him a small smile "Go. Go. Go. Go." She whispers to him.

Henry heads down the hall to keep an eye out just as Buffy manages to get the lock open, "10 points for the slayer, zero for Granny's security."  
Henry moves to follow Buffy inside the room but she turns to him "Unh-unh! Unh-unh! You gotta be the lookout."  
"But—but what do I do?" Henry stutters "Whistle?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Way too obvious. You gotta hit the door" Buffy moves to demonstrate "Kick it like you're bored, got it?"  
"Kick the door, got it. Now go."

* * *

Buffy closes the door behind her and looks around the room, she searches the shelfs and the cupboards before taking a peek in the wardrobe, when she doesn't find anything she walks towards the bed. However, as she does one of the wooden floorboards creaks beneath her, Buffy looks down in interest and moves over the floorboard again, again it makes the same noise. "Yatzee." She mutters before getting down to her knees, but before she can pull the board up Buffy hears Henry stumble against the door, before hearing Neal "Oh, hell no. I taught her that. Buffy!"

Buffy quickly stands, as she watches the door handle rattle for a second before Neal enters the room, followed by Henry. Buffy tries to cover "You really should lock your door cause makes people come to conclusions, we just..." Buffy sighs.  
"Buffy, what's this about?" Neal asks her confused.  
"Tamara. I think she might be playing with you. And not like a 10 year old plays with a doll, playing playing."  
"She's playing me? How?"  
Buffy tries to explain "I think that the she person August was telling us about might be her. But I wasn't sure, I wanted proof before I said anything to you."  
Neal scoffs "Well, as long as you broke into our room to spare my feelings...are you out of your mind?"  
"August warned us about a woman."  
"Which works up as about half the world. You roped the kid into this?"  
"Well, she lied to me." Buffy tells him "I'm pretty good a spotting a liar, you date enough of them and you learn a thing or two."  
Neal smiles "I don't by the no lie thing."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Okay, so that list of hers that looks like some stalkers reject practise paper, about all the people in town and their fairytale counter parts is just nothing then."  
"Buffy, I helped her make that list. It was to help her come to grips with this place. She's doing this for me, I wanted to help."  
Buffy sighs "Look, I know what this looks like but let me just check this loose floorboard, if there is nothing there then I'm gonzo."  
Neal glances over at Henry before turning back to Buffy "Okay sure, what the hell."  
Buffy nods before moving back to floor she pulls up the board and a frown covers her face "Oh." She says as she realises it's empty.  
Neal inhales deeply "Listen. I know Tamara being here is a little awkward."  
"Don't." Buffy says sharply before standing "Come on Henry let's go." She says before leading her son out of the room.

* * *

"You know, I believe you about Tamara." Henry tells Buffy as they eat Ice cream at the kitchen counter.  
Buffy nods "Good, cause I'm right."  
"And when we prove it, we can all go back to the Enchanted Forest."  
Buffy frowns internally, she was still unsure of what she wanted to do about going back.


	51. Second Star To The Right

Buffy kicks down the door and her and David quickly enter Regina's office, once they realise it's empty Buffy lowers the scythe and David lowers his gun "We're all clear!" Buffy calls out into the hall, where Snow and Henry were waiting.  
As the two enter Henry looks over at Buffy "When you find her, you're not gonna hurt her, are you?"  
Buffy shakes her head "No. But I just want the thief to return the beans she took."  
"I don't get it." Snow says "Why would Regina leave her office unlocked?"  
"Because she's a crazy person?" Buffy suggests.  
David chuckles slightly before walking towards the glass jar holding the beans "Crazy yeah, especially when she's keeping the beans here."  
Snow sighs "Was keeping them here. They're gone."  
Buffy watches intently for a second "This is not making a lick of sense, I mean come on, why the hell would she leave evidence like this, she's not the type."  
"Maybe she already used them to portal out of Storybrooke." David says as he continues to stare at the glass container.  
Buffy scoffs "Without Henry? A world of no."  
"What if something bad happened to her?" Henry asks, slightly scared and obviously worried.

Buffy turns to the alarm system by the door "The security system says the last time someone was chilling in here, was about 6 in the morning. God, who the hell is up at the hour unless they haven't gone to sleep." Buffy presses on the buttons "Looks like whoever was in here didn't have a key, they used the override code."  
David turns to Buffy "Why would Regina need an override code."  
Buffy looks up "She wouldn't."  
Snow raises an eyebrow "You think someone else broke in and took the beans?"  
Buffy shrugs "Well the witch that is Regina, has vanished into thin air, not even a postcard from her."  
"So something bad did happen to her?" Henry says he voice clearly evident with worry.  
Buffy turns to her son "We will find her, okay, I promise."  
"There's only one person who could overpower Regina. Well, other than you."  
David nods in agreement "Gold."  
"He's too busy with his new slash old girlfriend." Buffy tells them "God, that is extremely gross if you really think about it...Not Gold, Tamara."  
Snow sighs "Haven't you already gone down that road?"  
"Not far enough it seems."  
"Or maybe it's time for you to let it go?"  
"Look I don't believe in coincidences, she came to town the day August sort of died."  
"What if you're wrong?" David asks "If Regina's in trouble we can't just drop everything because of a hunch."  
"Here's an idea, Go to Gold he'll have some creepy thing that can locate Regina."  
Snow nods "Where are you going?"  
"Where do you think?" Buffy asks sarcastically, before heading out the room.

* * *

Once Neal opens the door, Buffy heads straight in "I'm searching your room again, got it. No complaining. This is for real."  
Neal chuckles "You wanna tell me what this is about, Sheriff?"  
"Where's your girl?" Buffy asks.  
"She's...on a run, what do you think she did this time?"  
"Regina, witch, mayor whatever we call her these days, has poofed into missing hood."  
Neal looks at Buffy skeptically "And you think she...you're—you're still on Tamara? You gotta be kidding me. She came to town to support me, her fiancé. She's not a kidnapper."  
Buffy ignores him and walks into the closet before turning to him "First off, I said no complaining and second where'd she go running?  
"The same place she goes every morning, the woods."  
"And she's been gone how long?"  
"Couple of hours." Neal says as he watches Buffy bend to her knees "Does it matter? She's training for a marathon."  
Buffy runs her hand over the sand on the floor before turning to Neal "So are woods often full of sand?"  
"Maybe she likes to run along the beach instead." He says trying to defend her. "What does that prove?"  
"Well, that she lied to you. Which means she's lying about other things to."  
Neal shakes his head, refusing to believe her "Maybe she just likes to run on the beach."  
"We'll see about that." Buffy says simply "There is a simple way to find out."

* * *

Neal follows Buffy across the beach "So, uh, where do you think she's hiding Regina...a sand castle?" He chuckles.  
"Well, it's gotta be somewhere."  
"Buffy, you're letting your emotions get in the way of your judgement."  
Buffy stops walking and turns to him "I suggest you shut your mouth, otherwise I'm gonna get testy."  
"Buffy—"  
"No. Neal let make one thing clear, I haven't given you a single thought in the past 11 years, because I don't care. The only person I cared about is dead. So I suggest you stop trying to make this about me being jealous, cause trust me. I'm not, I don't care who you sleep with, what I care about is the truth."  
"Neal!" Tamara says surprised as she runs towards them "Hey! What are you doing around here?"  
Neal turns to his fiancée "We were—I thought you went running in the woods."  
"Yeah, I start in the woods, but then I run along the beach. Everything alright?"  
"Regina's gone missing."  
"Oh, my god." Tamara breaths, appearing convincingly worried.  
"Figured she might be down here, guess not."  
"Well, I'm sure she'll turn up somewhere. Let me know if I can help at at all." She offers, before giving Neal a quick kiss "I'll see you later." She says before running off.

The moment she is gone Buffy moves to leave as well "Buffy." Neal calls  
The blonde sighs "Neal—"  
"I wanted to go to jail for you." He tells her.  
"I didn't go to jail, I just—"  
"I know." He says as he walks towards her "But it kills me that I let August talk me into letting you go."  
"Look, I don't wanna hear this."  
"But I have to say it." He pauses "I wanted to come find you. But I was too afraid. That you would never forgive cause I never forgave myself. There hasn't ben a day that's gone by that I don't regret having left you. I'm sorry, Buffy, for everything."

* * *

"So she said exactly, nothing?" Buffy asks David through the phone as her and Neal walk along the peer.  
"Uh, not much." He tells her "She could sense Regina was in pain. It was cold. She was strapped down. Uh, she said she could smell sardines."  
Buffy freezes as she spots the fishing port "Get down to the docks right now." She tells him before hanging up and turning to Neal "I was right, I knew it. Tamara is in there with Regina." She tells him before running off, him trailing behind her.

* * *

Buffy pulls the scythe from her bag and drops the bag on the ground while raising the scythe as her and Neal make their way through the warehouse "You sure you wanna be here?" Buffy asks "Cause trust me if I could have avoided seeing my ex having gone postal, I would have done it, but I had no choice you do."  
"I'm not gonna leave you alone in this place." He tells her "Even if you can bench press me with one hand."  
"Let me be clear, Tamara's human, not big on that, so I need to know that you have my back if something goes down."  
"Buffy, if Tamara is hiding Regina in her evil layer in the docks..." He says his voice full of disbelief "Yeah, I got your back."  
"Good, don't do anything stupid." Suddenly Buffy hears a clattering noise Buffy quickly runs towards it but freezes when she sees David "Seriously?" She asks him "Wear a bell."  
David hands her a walkie "Here, it's not a bell but it will keep it from happening again."  
Buffy nods "Okay, you and Mary Margaret take the basement, we got the main floor. Regina's here find her."

* * *

"Buffy?" David calls from over the walkie "You gotta block the exits."  
"Already there." Buffy tells him "You guys good?" She asks as she closes the back gate.  
"Oh, we're fine. We found Regina, with Mendell. He's coming your way."  
Buffy turns to Neal "Greg Mendell."  
Neal nods "So I was right it wasn't Tamara." Suddenly Tamara appears behind Buffy and hits her with a metal post, which causes the gun Buffy kept strapped to her hip just in case, to slip out of the holster.  
"Actually...it was." Tamara says as she picks up the gun and points in at Neal "I just had some help."  
Neal stares at her astounded "What are you doing, Tamara?"  
"I have to keep magic out of this world, Neal. It doesn't belong here. You more than anyone should understand that. It's a poison."  
Neal's heart breaks "You've been lying to me. How long have you been lying to me?"  
"This is more important than any—"  
"How long?!" He screams.  
"Since the beginning. Since I spilled coffee on you."  
Neal sighs "It wasn't accident. You planned it all."  
"Neal, you're a good man. I know that. So please try to understand."  
"You never love me."  
"No."  
"I can't let you leave here, Tamara." Neal says as he approaches.  
Tamara keeps the gun aimed at him "Neal, please don't make me." But as he continues towards her she shoots the gun at him.

"Wow, you really are a bitch." Buffy says as she grabs Tamara and hoists her off the ground "You should know something about me, I'm no ordinary girl." Buffy tells the woman before tossing her into the other wall. Tamara groans in pain and stands carefully, she swings her fist out at Buffy, but the blonde easily catches her wrist and twists herself inwards before elbowing Tamara in the face, Buffy then brings Tamara face down to her knees before tossing her to the ground.  
Tamara weakly looks up at Buffy who was now standing by Neal with the gun back in her holster and the scythe raised "You might wanna quit." Buffy tells her.  
Tamara pulls out the bean from her pocket "No need." She says before tossing it to the ground, Buffy jumps up onto the metal pipe next to her as the portal opens beneath her feet, Buffy find herself being pulled towards the portal "Ahh." She yells as she realises the portal is stronger than her.  
"Buffy!" Neal yells as he reaches over and manages to get her away from the portal "I got you."  
Buffy pulls away and spots the bullet wound "You're losing a lot of blood, we have to get you to a hospital asap."

Suddenly the wood beneath them cracks and both of them fall as the portal gets wider, Buffy manages to catch Neal's hand before he can fall in, and holds onto one of the floorboards "Neal!" Buffy screams as she tries to keep a hold of him.  
"Buffy!" Neal looks up to see the board Buffy was holding getting looser and looser "You can't hold both of us!"  
"Like hell I can't!" She yells.  
"You have to let me go." Neal tells her sadly.  
Buffy groans as the force of the portal causes the wood to break more, before turning back to Neal "You moron! You got shot, you go through that portal and you die. No matter where you land!"  
"No, but, Buffy, Henry needs you. He can't lose both of us. Don't make him grow up like we did."  
Buffy feels herself beginning to cry "Then don't let go. Please, I can't lose you too."  
Neal gives her a small smile "I love you." He tells her before he lets go of her hand "No!" Buffy screams as she watches him fall into the portal.  
Once the portal closes Buffy drops her head to the floor and cries.

* * *

Buffy walks in through the front door, still dazed. David spots her first "What happened?" He asks as him and Snow approach her "What is it?"  
Snow looks around for a second noticing that Buffy was alone "Where's Neal?"  
Buffy looks up at them "He's gone." She says emotionlessly "She killed him."

* * *

Buffy sits on the stairs with David who currently had his arm wrapped around her, as he tried to comfort her "Buffy, I'm so sorry."  
Buffy sits there motionless for a moment before she realises something "How...am I gonna tell Henry?"  
David sighs sadly, unsure of what to say but places a kiss to the top of her head.


	52. And Straight on 'Til Morning

After telling Henry about Neal, Henry, Buffy, David and Snow head back into the apartment, where Regina was now stood "Oh! Henry." She says in relief as she sees her son.  
"Mom!" Henry yells as he runs to her, throwing his arms around her.  
Suddenly the room shakes violently causing glasses and plates to break around the apartment.  
Buffy looks over at Regina "Regina, was that what I think it was?"  
"Yes. The diamond was activated." She tells them, her voice filled with fear.  
"So we're all gonna die." Henry says terrified.  
Regina turns to her son "You were born here, so you'll live."  
Henry looks around the room "But... I'll be alone."  
"I'm so sorry, Henry."  
Buffy turns to Regina "Don't let this happen. You did this, you handed them to key to do this, so stop it."  
"I can't." Regina says sadly "There's no way."  
"Well find one, it's your fault!" Buffy yells.  
"Stop!" Henry exclaims "I already lost my dad. I don't wanna lose anyone else. We have to work together."

"From the mouths of babes." Hook says as he enters the apartment "I'd say the lad has a point."  
Buffy sees David go to hit him and intervenes "Wait! I wanna do it."  
David chuckles before moving out of the way, Buffy moves in front of Hook who smirks "Hello, love."  
Buffy smiles before punching him in the face, sending him flying into the opposite wall.  
David goes to help Hook up then punches him in the face "That's for the last time we met."  
"Bloody hell." Hook mutters as he wipes the blood from his face "But you're daughter hits harder mate, sorry if that damages your pride."  
Buffy shrugs "I hit harder than most people."  
David pulls out his gun and glares at Hook "Tell us why you're here before I use something else other than my fist. Or just let my daughter kick the crap out of you."  
"I think threatening to kill me or have your lovely daughter kick my arse is a bit redundant, when we're all about to die anyway."  
Buffy scoffs "And whose fault is that. Oh yeah, yours. Considering Regina told us you were working with Crazy 1 and Crazy 2 to get your revenge."  
"Well, that was before they told me I had to die to get it."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and turns to David "As fun as this little admission of regret is, we have other things to do."  
"Which is why I'm here, 'cause staring death in the face has made me realise that if there is one thing I want more than my revenge, it's my life. So should we start this thing now and then resume bickering?"  
Regina steps forward "There is no stopping it. And the best thing I can do is slow it down, but that will only delay the inevitable."  
"It'll give us the time we need." David tells the group as he comes up with an idea, Snow turns to him "The time for what?"  
"Steal back the beans. Use them to get everyone back into the Enchanted Forest before Storybrooke is gone."  
Buffy looks at him skeptically, still not happy with the idea that she may have to go to The Enchanted Forest "And we do this how? Crazy 1 and Crazy 2 are very adapt and good at disappearing."  
"I know where they are." Hook tells the blonde "I can help."  
The blonde scoffs at him "Yes, because we are going to just hand off the beans to the cranky pirate that only helps himself. Ingenious plan. How are we supposed to trust you?"  
"No, we won't have to." David tells her "I'll go with him, if he tries anything, I'll shoot him in the face."  
Hook grins un-amused "Quite hostile, aren't we?"  
"Just being clear."  
Buffy sighs "Fine. Look, I'm take Regina to do they whole slow down the killer diamond thing, Mary Margaret, take Henry. Gather everyone. I Guess we're going to Enchanted Forest."  
Buffy moves away to head for the door, but her attention is brought back to Regina and Henry as Regina, gives Henry an emotional goodbye.

* * *

Buffy and Regina head through the mines as they walk Buffy begins to feel weird "I can feel it, it's like all the oxygen is making a run for it out of the air."  
"Not the oxygen. The Magic." Regina informs her as they turn the next corner.  
As they do they see the diamond which was now glowing a bright blue and hovering off the ground, "There it is." Regina says as she spots it "Once it stops glowing it's destruction is achieved, and then...well, then we'll see the real carnage." Regina circles the diamond, so she is standing in front of it before looking over at Buffy "I'll try to contain its energy as long as I can."  
Buffy nods "Don't worry, won't be long, bean will hopefully be ours soon. Then poof bye bye Storybrooke; only in a less destructive way."  
Regina looks over at Buffy sadly "Slowing this device...it's going to require all the strength I have."  
Buffy looks at her seriously "You're not coming along with us are you? That goodbye with Henry, that was a goodbye goodbye."  
"He knows, I love him doesn't he."  
Buffy steps forward "Look, I'm sure we can find another way, may be more crazy but we can try."  
"You were right, you know. Everything that's happening is my fault, I created this device. It's only fitting that it takes my life."  
"What am I supposed to tell Henry?" Buffy asks sadly.  
Regina looks at her sadly "Tell him that in the end, it wasn't too late for me to do the right thing."  
"Regina..."  
"Everyone looks at me as the evil queen..." Regina says as she interjects "...including my son. I may die as Regina."  
Buffy watches as Regina raises her hands, she turns her back and heads away but pauses "Regina—" She says as she turns back to her only to see Regina begin the spell.

* * *

As Buffy heads to Granny's she grabs her phone and dials Faith's number "Hey, B." Faith says as she answers.  
"Faith." Buffy says urgently.  
Faith quickly recognises the tone of the blonde's voice "What is it B?"  
"Something happened here, in Storybrooke, something big."  
"Big how big?"  
Buffy takes a deep breath "Big, as in we have to leave to make sure we don't all die."  
Faith frowns "Leave? What do you mean?"  
Buffy sighs "We're going to The Enchanted Forest."  
"What! Well when are you coming back?"  
Buffy takes a shaky breathe "Once we go through the portal there is no way back. Faith, I need you to tell everyone goodbye."  
"B, no you can't stick me with this."  
"I'm sorry but I have to. Take care of them. Goodbye Faith."  
"Buffy—"  
Buffy quickly hangs up the phone and closes her eyes tightly holding back the tears, she takes several deep breaths before making her way inside Granny's.

* * *

"We have the beans?" Buffy hears David announce as he and Hook enter the room.  
"You did it?" Buffy asks.  
David smiles "Yeah."  
Buffy nods and spots the blood on David's arm "You okay?"  
"Oh, it's ...grazed. It's fine." He assures her.  
Buffy nods again and turns to everyone "I guess this is it, like it it. Henry?"  
Henry approaches her a look of confusion crossing his face "W-where's my mom?"  
Buffy looks down at him sadly "The diamond thing is strong, stronger than her. So she can hold it off long enough for us to get away but...she won't make it."  
Henry's eyes widen "No, no."  
"Henry, I'm sorry. I made a promise to her to protect you."  
"But we can't do this. She's family. We don't leave family behind."  
Buffy sighs "We don't have a choice. She told us to go, that's what she wants, so we gotta. We have to take this way out."  
Henry tries to argue "We saved her from being killed by the wraith. How is this any different?"  
"The Wraith." Snow says as an idea comes to her.  
Buffy frowns in confusion "Huh?"  
"We sent it through a portal. Why can't we do the same thing with the self-destruct?"  
"Well as much as I would love to live in a place with a mall and wifi, we don't know if it will work." Buffy tells her.  
"It could."  
"Yeah." David says in agreement.  
Buffy shakes her head "It's too risky, we are talking about one person versus an entire town, no one is going to risk that."  
"Yes, we will." Archie says as he steps around the group to face Buffy "Because it's the right thing to do. Look, Snow white and the Prince have always led us before, and we've always won. So..who's willing to let them lead us again."  
At that everyone around the room either nods or raises their hands in agreement with the cricket.

Snow offers him a appreciative smile "Thank you, Archie." She then turns to Buffy "Oh, this is what we should so."  
"And will do." David says.  
"I know we haven't had a lot of chance to be parents, but give this one. Let us do the right thing. It's not to late." Snow begs.  
Buffy hesitates as she clutches Henry to her "I just don't want him to lose everything, like I did."  
Her parents look at her sadly but before they can say anything the room shakes violently, as it stops Buffy turns to them "This plan has a very likely hood of failing like, 99,9999% chance. If we use that bean now, we will survive 100%."  
"But it's wrong." Snow argues "Buffy, I killed her mother."  
"You did what was necessary, I've done it before I know when stuff like that needs to be done."  
"What happened to you, left you with no choice." Snow tells her "I had one. I did it because it was easy. It was a mistake, there were other paths—harder paths, and I wish I had taken them. So please, Buffy, honey...let's take the hard path. Because if we don't we will be building a future on Regina's blood."  
Buffy hesitates as she watches all of them intently "Fine."

David smiles and tosses the pouch with the bean in it to her, however Hook moves in front of her and grabs it before she can catch it "You're all mad." He tells them, Buffy glares at him and pushes him against the wall pinning his arms there "Give it back."  
Hook smirks at their position for a second before squeezing the bean "I may like to play rough love, but right now I may break the precious bean."  
"Buffy..." David says as he places a hand on her shoulder, Buffy sighs before slowly letting go of Hook.  
"I can live with myself." The pirate says "If she wants to die for us, I say we let her."  
"You and I—" Buffy starts hoping she will be able to convince him "We understand each other. In the past few years I've been a lot like you, look out for yourself and you'll never get screwed over, never get hurt, am I right?"  
Hook tilts his head "Worked quite well for me."  
"Yeah, what happens the day you go 'oh not working no more'. Look trust me this is stupid, and insane were my first thoughts, but we're doing this. So let me make you an offer, you can join us, I can kick your ass to get the bean back or you can be alone, that is what you do best right?"  
Buffy hands out her hand towards Hook who watches her intently, slowly he places the pouch into her palm "Quite passionate, Slayer."

As everyone starts to leave the room, the two stare at each other for a moment before Hook leans closer to her "Why are you really doing this?"  
"That kid, he just lost his father today. I don't want him to lose his mother as well, like I did."  
"His father?" Hook asks "Who's Henry's father?"  
"Neal."  
Hook's eyes widen "Baelfire?"  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Yeah." She tells him before leaving the diner.

* * *

Buffy, Henry, Snow and David run into the mines "What are you doing here?" Regina asks shocked, as she spots them running towards them.  
"You were willing to die to save us." Henry tells her "That makes you a hero. And now we're gonna be heroes."  
Regina looks at them confused, so David explains "We're gonna open up a portal, throw this thing into a void."  
"No." Regina tells them "You don't know that it'll work."  
"We have to try." Snow tells her.  
David gives Buffy a nod which she returns, while her father moves everyone out of the way Buffy takes a few steps back and reaches inside the pouch. She freezes.  
"Buffy?" Snow asks curious as to why she had not thrown the bean yet.  
Buffy turns to them "It's empty, Hook. Bastard screwed us over."

* * *

"I can't contain this much longer." Regina says as she continues to shake, Buffy's eyes widen and she slowly makes her way over to Henry, Snow and David. Buffy takes a deep breath, as tears threaten to escape she looks up at her parents "Mom...dad..." She says before hugging them.  
The family of four stay in a tight embrace before Henry walks over to Regina "I love you, Henry." She tells him "I only wish I was strong enough to stop all this. I'm just not."  
Henry nods sadly and leans his head against her shoulder and continues to clutch her.  
Buffy's eyes widen as an idea comes to her head, she pulls away from her parents and turns to Regina "You may not be strong enough. But something in me thinks that just maybe 'we' are."  
As Henry, Snow and David take cover Buffy approaches the diamond, she slowly raises her hands and suddenly a blue light comes out of her hands and she finds herself unable to move. A few moments later a large blast comes from diamond, sending both Buffy and Regina into opposite ends of the room.

* * *

Buffy groans as she wakes "Oh, I'm gonna feel that in the morning." She moans she tries to sit up, when she hears someone call her name "Buffy?" Snow says worried. The two parents help their daughter stand and quickly look to see if she is hurt. "I'm good." She assures them.  
Buffy looks over at Regina who was now holding the now black diamond "So we did it."  
Regina stumbles slightly as she walks over before grinning "Yes, we did."  
David smiles "Got to hand it to Henry, he's right about a lot of things."  
Buffy chuckles "Yeah, he's a real smartass like his aunt. Isn't that right, kid?" Buffy says as she turns to face him, only to find him no longer in the mine. "Henry?"

* * *

The four of them run through the mines "Henry?" Buffy calls before freezing as she spots Henry's backpack on the ground "Buffy, what is it?" Snow asks.  
Buffy picks up the bag "They took him."

* * *

"Buffy, you don't even know where you are going?" Snow yells as they run after Buffy.  
"I know." She assures them "He's my son. Trust me, I know. If they take him to hell I'll be able to track them."  
Buffy turns the corner and see Grey Mendell throw a bean into the river "The Last bean." Regina realises as she comes to stand by Buffy "They've opened a portal."  
Buffy takes off running "Henry!" She screams.  
She is about to jump when David grabs ger "No!" She yells "We have to follow them! I—I can't—we have to find them, there has to be a way."  
"Not only do we not know where they went, but Hook stole the last bean." Regina says her voice full of dismay and anger.  
"I don't care!" Buffy yells.  
"Without it, there's no way to follow."  
"There has to be. We can't just let them take off with Henry."

"They've taken Henry?" Gold asks as he approaches.  
"Yeah." David tells him "You're the dark one, do something."  
Buffy turns to the wizard "Gold, help us."  
"There's no way. I spent a lifetime trying to cross worlds to find my son. There's no way in this world without a portal."  
Regina turns to him angrily "So that's it? He's gone forever? I refuse to believe that."  
Suddenly Belle walks around them her full focus on the horizon "What's that?"  
Buffy turns and her eyes spot the ship "Hook."

* * *

"2 questions, one-what the hell are you doing here? And two—why they hell shouldn't I kick your ass for what you did?" Buffy asks as she approaches Hook.  
"I'm helping." Hook says with a roll of his eyes "Wouldn't be smart to hurt someone whose helping."  
"Well, you're too late." Regina tells him "So Buffy, feel free to kick his ass."  
Hook stops in front of Buffy "Am I?" He asks as he hands her the pouch  
Buffy raises an eyebrow, "I thought you couldn't give a crap about anyone. Well except you."  
"Maybe I just needed reminding that I could."  
Buffy looks up at him before taking the pouch, she opens it and the bean falls into her hand "Enough waiting around, let's go." Regina says as she spots the bean.  
Hook turns to Regina confused "Go? Where? I thought we were saving the town."  
"We already did." David informs him.  
Buffy turns to Hook "We need to go get Henry. Crazy 1 and Crazy 2 took him through one of those crazy portals."  
Hook nods at the blonde "Well, I offer my ship and my services to help follow them."  
Regina sighs "Well, that's great, Hook, but how will we track them?"  
"Leave that to me." Gold says he steps towards them "I can get us where we need to go."  
Snow sighs "Then let's do it."  
Hook glares at Gold before heading back onto the ship everyone follows.

* * *

 **Westbury, England**

"She said what?!" Dawn, Xander and Willow all scream at the same time.  
"Shh." Faith tells them before gesturing to Giles's bed where the watcher was still currently in a coma."  
Willow sighs "What did she say exactly, Faith?"  
Faith takes a deep breath "The place where she is, is in danger and the only way for all on them to survive it to go back to The Enchanted Forest."  
Dawn looks over at Faith sadly "What was the other thing, Faith?"  
"She said that once she goes through the portal...there's no coming back. She'll be gone...forever."  
"No." Dawn breaths, causing Willow to wrap her arms around her.  
Xander turns to Faith "There has to be a way, we finally made peace with her, got to meet her son, how—"  
Xander is cut off when the beeping that had been coming from Giles's machines goes flat, the four of them turn and their eyes widen as they see the line on the machine now completely straight.  
At that moment several nurses and doctors come running into the room, the four stare motionless as they watch the doctors work on Giles, and the only thing they hear is the loud thumping noise as Giles is hit with the paddles and one word "Clear."

* * *

 **Storybrooke, Maine**

Buffy and everyone watch as Gold places his finger on the globe as he does he pricks his finger and drops the blood coming from the prick on the globe. Suddenly the globe's image changes, revealing to both Hook and Gold where Henry had been taken.  
"Where is that? Where did they take Henry?" Regina asks.  
Hook stares at the globe with wide eyes "Neverland."

Buffy hands Hook the bean and watches as he throws it into the water, everyone holds on tight as he then moves the ship. "Who are we up against?" David asks "Who are Greg and Tamara?"  
"They're merely pawns..." Gold informs them "Manipulated by forces far greater than they can conceive. They have no idea who they are truely working for."  
Buffy looks over at Gold "And that would be who exactly?"  
"Someone we all should fear." He says just as the ship falls through the portal.


	53. The Heart of the Truest Believer

**11 years ago -** **Los Angeles, California**

Lena pulls Buffy into the small hospital room as the blonde continues to scream in pain "Lena. It hurts!" Buffy cries as tears drip from her face, while she clutches her stomach.

Lena nods "I know my dear. Don't worry it won't be long now."  
Lena quickly lifts the crying slayer onto the bed before turning to the door and letting a doctor and nurse in "Quickly!" Lena urgently says to the two "The child will be here any minute."  
The two nod and quickly head towards Buffy, while Lena turns to the blonde and lets her clutch her hand "Ahhh!" Buffy screams again as another contraction hits her.

As the clock hits 8.15 the doctor turns to her "Big breath." He tells her "Breathe away. Breathe away."  
Buffy continues to pant while clutching Lena's hand "Okay, here we go. You're doing great. Almost there."  
Lena stroked the blonde's bruised face, she was still injured from the fight with the old vampire at the dance "Buffy, just keep breathing."  
Buffy shakes her head "I can't." She cries.  
"Shh." Lena soothes "You can do this."  
"Your doing great." The doctor tells Buffy "Doing great. Here we go. Breathe. Breathe. Big breath. Okay, now big push! Big push."  
Buffy screams in agony as she finally pushes, after what felt like eternity she flops back down against the bed not notices the lights in the room flicker.

The doctor stands holding the newborn "Great. Here we go. Beautiful."  
Buffy hears the crying and her eyes widen, she slowly turns to the doctor and spots the baby in his arms "It's a boy, Buffy." He tells her.  
Before Buffy can say anything Lena walks over and turns to the doctor "Give me the boy." She says, the doctor hands the baby over. As he does Lena turns to both him and the nurse "Leave now. Forget what happened here."

The two nods before simply leaving the room, Buffy looks over at Lena "Lean, please." She begs.  
Lena sighs sadly "My dear, you and your watcher discussed this, it's not safe for him."  
Tears runs down Buffy's face "Just...just let me hold him once."  
"I'm sorry my dear, you know why I cannot do that. You have to let him go for now."  
Buffy spots Lena raising her hand and her eyes widen "Lena no—"  
But before Buffy can do anything Lena waves her hand and suddenly Buffy is back in her cell. Buffy looks down to see her stomach now flat with no trace of evidence of what had just occurred. Buffy takes a shaky breath before crawling into the bed and rolling herself into a ball as she cries.

* * *

 **2 years ago - San Francisco**

Chris slowly walks into Buffy's cell after her fight to see her clutching a dislocated shoulder. "Buffy." He whispers softly as he approaches her "I'm so sorry, this is happening to you."  
Buffy reluctantly looks over at him as he walks over to her and crouches down by her "Then let me out of here."  
Chris looks down at the ground, a look of shame crossing his face "I'm sorry I can't do that."  
Buffy takes his hand "Please, Chris." She sits up and places a soft kiss to his lips, as she pulls back she leans her forehead against him "You said you love me. So help me."  
Chris stands there frozen for several moment "I'm sorry but I don't have a choice. Trust me if I could I would." He quickly places Buffy's arm in a sling and leaves the room.  
As the door closes behind him, a smirk crosses Buffy's face as she pulls out a small metal knife she had taken out of Chris' bag.

* * *

 **Present Day – Neverland**

"I hate portal travel!" Buffy yells as she holds onto the ship.  
Finally the ship lands in water and leaves the portal "Bout damn time." Buffy says trying not to throw up. She takes a deep breath and looks over at the horizon "Let me guess we're not in Kansas anymore."  
"Aya." Hook answers "Neverland."

* * *

Buffy continues to stare at the island ahead of them when Snow and David approach her "Hey." Snow says "What happened to Neal and Henry, it's not your fault. You can't blame yourself."  
Buffy looks over at them slowly "Oh I'm not. I blame you. I should have listened to myself not you. I said two years ago that I would never let myself be fooled. And I'm gonna be perfectly honest...your naive to think the way you do."  
"Buffy—" David tries but she cuts him off.  
"Don't. Good doesn't all ways win if it did I wouldn't be the person I am now, Angel and Neal wouldn't be dead and countless others. I said two years ago that I would never let people in for this reason. I didn't grow up in some fairy tale, my experience it's a lot different. That's all I can trust, it's all I can go on."  
Snow sighs "And all we have to go on ours. So if you would just let us share our wisdom—"  
"Look, it's nice that you guys wanna try and be parents. But your wisdom applies to your world, look around we're not there. I'm what? 4 years younger, but I've got more than enough wisdom...Let me make one thing clear, all I care about, all I want is Henry back.  
David tries to speak "Buffy, don't worry we are going to get our family back."  
Buffy turns to them angrily "God you're not even listening to me! How in the hell can you too be so infuriatingly optimistic?"  
"It's who we are."  
"Why?!" The blonde yells "Your lives suck, so just join us in reality."

David tries to speak again but Buffy turns "I need some air." She pauses "I understand were outside, but not that kinda air, inside air." Before either parent can something Buffy walks off only to come face to face with Gold "Oh, great just what I need. What is this? Your Darth Vader outfit..." Buffy says gesturing to the new clothing "Gotta say, it fails, you really could use the mask."  
Gold rolls his eyes "Your hilarious Miss Summers."  
Buffy shrugs "I try. Now what's why the costume change?"  
"I'm gonna get Henry."  
"We agreed to do this together." Regina reminds him.  
Gold interjects "Actually, we made no such agreement."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "You wanna get to the why your doing this?"  
"Because I wanna succeed."  
"I haven't failed before...I'll admit some people consider dying failing but still. What you're issue?"

"Well Miss Summers, you're unpredictable. You're the slayer and with all the things that have happened in the past few months all the loss, the darker side of the slayer could take control at any moment. The demon essence in you can be unpredictable, and in a place like Neverland, even more so. So I'm going to do what needs to be done, before you lose control. It's inevitable."  
Gold spins the cane in his hands and as it falls to the ground Gold suddenly disappears.

* * *

Buffy pulls herself up again, as she continues to do pull ups in one of the rooms in the lower deck in hopes of distracting herself.  
As she continues she hears the door open, slowly she lowers herself back down "Oh. Don't stop on my account." The pirate says as he watches her.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Do you ever shut up?" She says before jumping down and grabbing the scythe before taking a seat "What are you doing?"he asks her.  
Buffy sighs "It's called a distraction. Or exercise, try it some time, then maybe I won't knock your ass out so quickly like last time."  
Hook chuckles "Well when your opponent has the strength of ten men it can be slightly more difficult to keep up." Buffy just turns back to the scythe and continues to sharpen the blade "Don't let Rumplestlitlskin get you down, luv." He tells her.  
Buffy scoffs "I've dealt with worse. Now what do you want?"  
"To give you something." He says as he walks over to one of the cupboards "You know, Baelfire and I once spent a lot of time together. This was his." Hook says as he hands her a small sword.  
Buffy looks down at it for a moment "I have my slicy toy."  
Hook chuckles softly "Yes. Well think of this as an last resort."  
"I didn't figure you for the sentimental type. Crazy, kind of a man whore yes but sentimental nada."  
"It's because I'm not. But like I said, a back up. Although with that beauty I doubt you'll need it." He says gesturing to the scythe.

Buffy arches an eyebrow as he then hands her a shot glass "Yeah no." Buffy says "No. Buffy and shots big no no."  
Hook chuckles but continue to pour the rum into her glass "Just this once. For Neal."  
Buffy clinks her glass with his flash "To Neal." She says before downing the drink, straight away "Ewwyuck." She says as she shakes her head and makes a disgusted look on her face.

* * *

"Diving into the history into one of my exes is not exactly something I do, cause most of time I realise that they have done a lot of bad crap, but colour me curious." Buffy says as she and Hook sit opposite each other "So how long were you and Neal...chilling out together...is that term?"  
Hook sighs sadly "Long enough for me to know that I miss him, too." The two sit there in silence for a moment before Hook looks up "Seems my curiosity gets the better of my as well, Luv. What exactly was the crocodile speaking about?"  
Buffy looks up at Hook slowly "Nothing that matters."  
Suddenly the ship shakes violently Buffy turns back to Hook "Tell me that is does that all the time, because it's showing that things are going very top of the day well."  
"Unfortunately not."

* * *

"What the hell is going on?" Buffy asks as her and Hook quickly come up the stairs, as the boat violently shakes again Buffy groans "I take it back, portal travel good. Boat travel not good."  
"Prepare for attack!" Hook warns them all as he takes control of the ship back from Snow and David.  
"Be more specific." Regina demands.  
"If you've got a weapon, then grab it!" He yells.  
Buffy looks down over the edge at the waters "What's down there exactly, Jaws? Octo-shark?"  
"A kraken?" David asks as he and Snow come to stand by Buffy.  
"Worse." Hook tells them "Mermaids."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "I'm guessing their not the singing, hair brushing type."  
"Afraid not my dear. They're quite unpleasant."  
Regina continues to looks around at the mermaids as they attack the ship "You think?"  
"I'll try and outrun them."  
Buffy tries to count how many their are but there are too many "That's a lot of tail-y scale-y women. Wonder who pissed them off, they look like Dawn on a Monday morning. You didn't flirt with any of them did you, Hook, that tends to make a girl angry."  
"Your Hilarious." Hook says sarcastically as he keeps ahold of the wheel.

"I will not be capsized by fish!" David yells, as he runs off Snow turns to Buffy "Buffy!" Snow yells before running to the other end of the ship, "A net? Are you losing it, what are you doing?"  
"Fishing"  
Buffy sighs before lifting the net and tossing it into the water "This may not be the best plan! There's dozens!"

"We caught one!" Snow yells to everyone.  
Regina walks over "One? There are dozens of them."  
Buffy nods "See she agrees with me."  
"Enough of this." Regina says before creating a fire ball, she tosses fire at the mermaids causing them to quickly scurry.  
"There. They're gone." Regina says.  
Buffy shakes her head and pulls the net upwards "Look-y we got one left."  
Regina waves her hand and suddenly the mermaid is lying in the middle of the ship.

Hook glares at Regina "Get that thing off my ship!"  
"No." Regina says calmly "Now we have a hostage."  
David intervenes "I hate to say it, but I'm with Hook."  
Buffy chuckles "That's was fast. Must be true love." She mumbles under her breath making a mental joke to tell Faith once they got back and also to tell them that she was alive.  
"Those things just tried to kill us." David continues as he walks over.  
"And perhaps we should find out why."  
"How?" Snow asks "By torturing her?" She says in disbelief.  
Buffy sighs "Hate to admit it, it's an effective technique."  
Snow turns to her "San Francisco?" She mouths.

Buffy simply nods before noticing the mermaid grab the seashell next to her, suddenly a loud blaring noise comes out of the shell, Buffy kicks the shell out of the mermaids hand and grabs the scythe off her back swinging it around before holding it against the mermaid's neck "What did you do? I'd suggest you'd be truthful."  
"A warning. Let me go...or die." Buffy tilts the scythe placing the blade of the axe against the mermaid's skin more "Huh?"  
"What did you do?!" David yells.  
"Let me go." The mermaid says politely, Buffy presses the blade harder against the woman's skin "You didn't answer the question."  
Regina glares down at the woman "Tell us, or we'll make you tell us."  
"Threatening her isn't the way to motivate her." Snow argues.  
"Tell that to your daughter, who currently has a blade to her throat. Plus, I'm all out of fish food."

At Regina's comment Buffy lowers the scythe and backs away taking a deep breath as she tries to bury the anger, which was rising up for some reason unknown to her.  
"Doesn't matter if you get her to talk." Hook says, drawing Buffy's attention "You can't trust her. Mermaids are liars."  
Buffy takes another deep breath before finally rejoining in the conversation "Of course they are. Everything from my childhood seems to be the opposite in real life."  
"Maybe they're just scared of Pan." Mary Margaret realises "If we let her go, maybe they'll be on our side."  
Regina interjects "Or maybe she and her friends will come right back to kill us."  
The mermaid smirks "Oh, I don't need my friends to kill you. You'll kill yourselves. Or..." She glances over at Buffy "...her kind tend to enjoy killing very much. Especially here, the true darkness comes out here. So she'll kill you all. Now let me go."  
Buffy clutches the scythe in her hands but suddenly a loud thunder storm begins, "What the hell?!" David yells in confusion.  
"It's a storm. She called it." He realises as he glares at the mermaid "Don't let her go! She'll swim off and leave us all to die. At least with her, we've got leverage."  
David grabs his swords and hold's it against the mermaids throat "Stop the storm, then we let you go."  
The mermaid merely grins and shakes her head.  
David moves closer and presses the blade more firmly against her throat causing Regina to chuckle "That's more like it, Charming. Filet the bitch."

David looks up at his wife and daughter before stepping back "No. We're not barbarians."  
"What we're going to be is dead." Regina yells before turning to Buffy "You know I'm right."  
"Hold on." Hook says cutting Buffy off before she can speak "I'm gonna turn her around. I've outrun many a storm."  
Regina turns to Buffy "You can do it or I will."  
Buffy's turns to Regina "I—I—"  
"We are not killers!" Snow yells.  
"Yes, you are. And you've brought this death upon yourselves." The mermaid yells.  
Buffy is getting to the point where the anger is starting to boil over and as Snow and Regina argues Buffy moves to the mermaid and slams her head onto the ground "Listen to me now, fishy bitch, end it now. You said I'm a killer, you're right. Now do you really wanna test me."  
The mermaid smirks "You're stronger than the last of your kind that was here, she started killing within the first hour."

As they ship gets worse it shakes violently again, causing Buffy to back away from the mermaid "May I suggest killing her now?!" Regina yells.  
"No!" David and Snow yell "You kill her, and her kind have a personal vendetta against us."  
Buffy interjects "They already don't like us very much. Pretty clear they aren't gonna be singing for us any time soon."  
"No." Snow yells again "We're not doing this."  
"Look slayer and the queen are right, they've already tried killing us." Hook says.  
Before anyone can do anything else Regina waves her hand and suddenly the mermaid is turned into wood "There. That should stop the storm."  
"Or the exact opposite!" Buffy yells as they spot a tidal wave heading for them.

* * *

As Buffy and Hook work to keep the ship afloat she turns to him "You're idea of outrunning a storm, is a hell of lot different from mine. As in, you don't."  
"This isn't a storm." He argues "It's bloody damnation!"  
"I'm never getting on a boat again." Buffy says as her and Hook continue to keep the ship going.

As lighting continues to hit the ship Buffy notices Snow punch Regina in the face, the two argue before Regina punches her back causing David to move towards them. Hook sees David move and grabs his arm "Hey, let the slages go. I need you at the mast."  
"Don't call my wife a slag!" David yells before elbowing Hook in the stomach.

Buffy grabs ahold of the wheel as the two fight "Stop!" Buffy yells as the two pairs continue to fight. "Dammit!" She exclaims as lightning again hits the ship. She looks up and notices something odd about the storm "Is us." She whispers the herself as she realises what is happened "We're causing the storm!" She yells "So stop!"

When no one stops Buffy sighs and walks over to the two men, she grabs both of them and tosses them apart. When they both stand again Buffy kicks Hook in the chest sending him back down and then drops to her knees and swings her leg around, causing her father to drop to the ground.

"Stay!" She yells before walking over to the woman, she grabs Regina by the collar of her jacket and tosses her away before tossing Snow away "What is wrong with you all!" Buffy yells "We don't have time for this!"

Buffy sighs and gestures up at the sky which was slowly clearing "Told you so." She says simply before walking to the other end of the ship "It's like dealing with teenage slayers again."

* * *

"We don't have to do it this way." Regina says as the group walk up the beach "I can fix the Jolly Roger. My magic is powerful enough. We can execute the pirate's plan."  
Buffy shrugs "And we can all do the snoopy dance, doesn't mean we should. Look your magic will be useful, save it. Plus Pan-orama most probably already know that were here and we ain't planning on leaving. My guess he's not exactly jumping with joy."  
Buffy sighs and looks over at everyone "Look, we can't be at each other's throats. First it's a pain in the ass, but also it's gonna get us all killed... I'm wrong about some stuff as well, but if we're here...we gotta work together or at least tolerate each other."  
"You wanna be friends?" Regina asks in disbelief "After everything—"  
Buffy interjects "Yeah, I know that's no gonna happen. All I'm saying is we can't kill each other. Go ahead and be at each other's throats after this, with the amount of history and hate—"  
"Actually, I quite fancy you from time to time, when you're not yelling at me." Hook says with a smirk.  
Buffy merely rolls her eyes before turning to the others "Look I get you lot hate each other but we got no choice here."

"Working with her? With him?" David asks in disbelief "No, Buffy, we have to do this the right way."  
Buffy shakes her head "No. We don't. The only thing we need to do is get Henry back, no matter what. So either help me get my son back or get out of the way." She says before grabbing the scythe off her back and heading into the forest.


	54. Lost Girl

_Westbury, England_

"Clear!" The doctor yells as he presses the paddle against Giles again, Dawn and Willow gasp and turn to Xander who wraps his arms around both girls.  
"Clear!" The doctor yells again, however nothing happens, the doctor turns to the nurse "Turn it up."  
The nurse nods and a moment later the doctor hits Giles again.

As Giles flops back down on the bed, Xander, Faith, Dawn and Willow wait, hoping that Giles' heart will start again.  
"Come on Geeves." Faith whispers as she watches the doctors and Giles carefully.

Suddenly a beeping noise comes from the monitor, the four turn and stare at the monitor.  
"We got him back." The doctor breaths "We got him."

* * *

 _Neverland_

Buffy follows after Regina, as David and Hook lead them through the forest "The ridge is just a few hundred paces up ahead." Hook informs them.  
Buffy looks over at Hook "So this ridge thing-y, it's gonna give us a 'lay of the land' of Pan's man cave, right? Or is it peak of the land?" She asks the last question mostly to herself.  
"It's lay..." Hook assures her "From there, we should be able to see everything, including where he's keeping your son."  
"You know, I could have just poofed us up here in an instant." Regina says, clearly annoyed by their predicament.  
"Where?" Hook asks her "Have you any idea what's up here or anywhere? There are dangers all about. Only I can guide us past them."  
"And how many times have you used that line?" Buffy asks sarcastically, "It's kinda old." She says before turning to Regina "Look guyliner may be an dark haired version of Spike but he's lived here before. So we gotta do what he says, plus if he gets us lost, then I'll kick his ass."  
"That really gives a man confidence." Hook remarks.  
"Keep moving pirate man."  
Hook chuckles slightly before continuing on.

Buffy continues to follow only to pause as Snow moves towards her and hands her bottle of water "Here. You need to stay hydrated."  
"I'm good." Buffy tells her "Slayers have crazy high metabolism but we're also like camels some times. Thanks though, Mary Margaret."  
"You know, Mary Margaret is a bit formal." Snow says shyly "You could call me 'Mom ' if you want. You've done it before."  
Buffy's eyes widen, she had completely forgotten that she had in fact called Mary Margaret mom, and now all she could feel was an overall sense of guilt and betrayal.  
"I—I can't. I'm sorry. That was when we—"  
"We were about to die."  
Buffy nods "That and it's still hard for me. Look my mom was my mom so I'm still adjusting."  
Snow nods, obviously disappointed "Oh, no, I get it."

Buffy nods before continuing to walk, she follows the group and notices them come to a stop, as Hook grabs David's arm as he attempts to cut through a bush of thorns.  
"No." Hook yells.  
David yanks his arm out of Hook's grasp and glares at him "I can handle a couple of thorns."  
"That's dreamshade. It's not the thorns you have to worry about. It's the poison they inject you with. This plant is the source of the toxins I used on The Dark One."  
Buffy arches an eyebrow "The gross iky stuff that almost killed crazy mc-crazy-ton?"  
"Indeed. I used a concentrated dose. In its natural form, death would be much slower and far more painful. I suggest we go this way."  
David points in the opposite direction "We'll go this way."

Buffy sighs "Children." She mutters as Snow and Regina follow David. Buffy moves to follow but pauses as Hook turns to her "You're father's a distrustful fellow."  
" _David..._ " Buffy says emphasising the world, the discomfort of the term 'father' being hidden bellow the surface "Is not used to teaming up. I am, but they don't do team ups with people who are considered the bad guys."  
"I can assure you, on this island, I am not the bad guy."  
Buffy shrugs "Yeah well, this just screws up my childhood. Pan is so not supposed to be all evil-y."  
"What possibly gave you that idea?" Hook asks her as the two start to walk.  
"What part of ruined childhood does not make that obvious...in the stories he's the good, you're the perm having creepy mustache pirate man."  
"From the way you're describing me, I can tell it's not good. Which clearly is wrong." Buffy rolls her eyes "You are really full of yourself, you know that."  
Hook chuckles before going on "Look your childhood stories got it wrong. Pan is the most treacherous villain I've ever faced. Tell me something, Luv. I'm not actually that bad in these stories. I'm sure other than a villain, I'm handsome."  
Buffy scoffs and taps his chest "Keep thinking that buddy." She then walks off laughing.  
The smirk falls from Hook's face "You're beginning to make me worry, luv."

* * *

"Up here!" David calls, Buffy quickly heads up the hill followed by Hook.  
Buffy's eyes widen as she sees the forest bellow them "Oh, boy."  
"Pan's lair should be just...right..."  
"Where?" Regina asks, annoyed "All I see is jungle."  
"Ay. The dark jungle."  
Buffy sighs "Yep. Never gonna be able to watch Disney again."  
Hook pulls out his spyglass and looks over at the land "It's, uh, grown some what since I last stepped foot in Neverland."  
"Grown?" Buffy asks confused.  
"Aye."  
Buffy rubs her temples "So gonna have a migraine when this is over."  
Regina sighs as she stares at the jungle before glancing over at Hook "So this nature hike was for nothing."  
David intervenes "Hook may have led us astray, but at least we're in a good position to start combing the jungle."  
"Not exactly." Hook tells them "The dark jungle's the last place you wanna set foot. We'll have to go around it. In order to do that, we're gonna need our strength. I suggest we make camp."  
Regina turns to him, clearly not pleased "You wanna sleep while my son is out there suffering?"  
"If we want to live long enough to save the boy...yes."

As the others move Buffy stands there motionless, merely staring at the jungle "You okay?" Snow asks.  
Buffy shakes her head "Regina's right. I don't care about rest, Henry is out there, I can't just leave him out there."  
"And Hook is right." Snow tells her "You may not think you need rest, but you do. We have to survive if we're going to get him."  
Buffy sighs "I hope so."  
Before Snow can say anything, Buffy heads back down the hill.

* * *

Later Buffy lies there staring up at the sky, unable to sleep. She huffs in frustration before grabbing the scythe and climbing out of the makeshift bed. She heads into the forest close enough to the camp but far enough that she can have some time to herself.

As she steps into the clearing she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath soaking up the smell of the oak trees.  
Buffy opens her eyes and begins practicing with the scythe, she spins around swinging the scythe, flipping through the air and ends up burying the scythe in a tree.  
She's breathing hard and just stares at the scythe "Couldn't sleep?" A voice asks behind her.  
Automatically Buffy rips the scythe from tree and turns around to face the figure.  
"Figured you wouldn't be able to hear it. Considering you don't feel abandoned, cause you don't consider them your parents."  
Buffy arches an eyebrow "Look at the insightful creepy, teenager." She says sarcastically "Gonna tell me how my hair's really blonde and how I like pizza?"  
Pan chuckles slightly "You're Buffy, right? It must be driving you insane right?"

Buffy rolls her eyes "You really like the sound of your own voice." Buffy looks the boy up and down and chuckles slightly before slamming him up against one of the trees "Let me guess the green outfit, the british accent. A plus B equals...Pan." She raises the scythe and places the blade against his throat "So where's my kid?"  
Pan chuckles "You're smart. And you've got fire. I like fire."  
Buffy forces the scythe closer against his throat "Where is my son? Tell me before I start making pieces of Pan pie out of you."  
"Henry's still alive, if that's what you're worried about."  
Buffy rolls her eyes at the teenager "Okay and onto the next section of our questionnaire, why the hell did you take him?"  
"He's a very special boy, Buffy." Pan says simply.  
"Got that. Now time to answer the question. Don't make me repeat myself again."  
Pan merely smiles "I came here to see who I was up against—"The Savior", The Slayer. Must say you're much prettier than the last one that came here. And I gotta say, I'm not disappointed."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "You had a slayer here?"  
"Yep. Must say you have more control then that one. Let's just say this island has a negative effective on that demon essence. Makes it...let's just say harder to control."  
Buffy slams him against the tree again, causing him to groan in pain "I got plenty of control, so don't test me. Now give me my son."  
Pan smiles again "That's why I'm here. I'm going to help you find him. I'll give you a map."

Buffy looks at him skeptically but removes the scythe, Pan chuckles as he places his hands on his neck and notices that she had actually cut him "You're ruthless. I like it."  
Buffy crosses her arms and glares at him "Yeah. Map now."  
Pan reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small piece of parchment "This map will lead you straight to your son."  
"Yeah. I smell trap."  
"I may not be the most well-behaved boy on the island, but I always keep my promises. The path to finding Henry is on this parchment."  
"Yeah you see, normally when crazy people say they wanna help, they have an ulterior motive. What's yours?" She asks, still completely unconvinced.  
"No ulterior motive. See, it's not about finding Henry. This is about how you find him. And Buffy... you are the only one that can."  
Buffy continues to glare at him as she takes the map from him, however as she glances down she sighs "It's blank."  
"You'll only be able to read that map when you stop denying who you really are."  
Buffy arches an eyebrow, she glances back down at the map but as she looks back up Pan is gone.

* * *

"He so likes his games." Hook says as he stares at the parchment, which Buffy currently had her attention glued to.  
"What game?" Regina asks as she continues to pace "There's nothing there."  
"If he said there's a map on this parchment, then there is."  
Buffy scoffs "Great so the creepy teenager is now acting as my therapist. 'You won't be able to reveal the map until you stop denying who you really are' Screw that." Buffy does her best Pan impression before scoffing.  
"But how do we know Pan won't use it to lead us straight into a trap?" Regina asks the pirate.  
Hook glances over at her as he stands "Because he doesn't need to. This whole Island's his bloody trap."

Buffy hears a scuffle in the near by bushes before hearing David's voice "There's no sign of him anywhere."  
"Great so he can do the batman disappearing act as well." Buffy mutters as she continues to glare at the map, cursing it internally for not revealing itself to her.  
"Any luck with the map?" Snow asks.  
"Don't hold your breath." Regina tells her.  
Buffy continues to stare at the map as she addresses the queen "Meaning what exactly?"  
"Don't you see what he's doing? Every second we spend talking about this is another second we're not looking for my son."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Yes, because great ideas are just lying around. Please tell us your oh so genius plan."

"Magic." Regina says simply causing everyone to sigh, Regina ignores them "If there's a lock on there, I'll find a way around it."  
Regina moves in to take the map but Buffy slams her hand down "Look Regina, I'll make you a deal, if I can't unlock the map, then I'll let you have at it. But Pan's smart...I don't want to risk going against what he said just in case its a freaking booby trap."  
"I'd listen to Buffy, Luv." Hook tells the mayor "Breaking Pan's rules would be unwise."  
"Sadly, I agree with the pirate." David says, clearing not enjoying the fact.  
Hook merely grins and glances at David "I'm winning you over. I can feel it."

Buffy rolls her eyes "You two can get a room later but..." Buffy glances at Regina "I don't wanna risk something going wrong if we use magic on this. If it comes to it, then hell I'll let you do what you want to the thing, but as a last option, I don't wanna risk that us going against Pan's rules could hurt Henry."  
Regina sighs but nods hating herself for agreeing with the blonde "Fine. Try it your way, but if it doesn't work, then we try this my way."  
Buffy gives her a nod before glancing back down at the map with a sigh "Hey." Snow says softly seeing the defeat in Buffy's eyes "Don't give up. He's playing a game. You can win."

* * *

Buffy stares at the map in her hands as she sits on the large rock "This is ridiculous." She says with a huff before shaking her head "Okay here we go."  
Buffy stares trying to think of what to say "Um...my name is Buffy Anne Summers?"  
Hook who is walking around her, glances at the blonde "I'd wager the solution to Pan's riddle is a bit more complicated than that."  
Buffy shrugs "I'm guessing asking it not gonna really help either."  
"Don't hold anything back." Snow tells her.

Buffy groans "Yeah. If I do that this is gonna get real un-pretty, real fast." Buffy rolls her shoulder not liking having to sit still, after a moment she turns back to the map "I'm Henry's mom. I lived in Sunnydale California for 7 years with my mom and my sort of sister. Um..."  
Buffy continues to come up blank so Snow speaks up again "Don't you think you're leaving some things out?"  
Buffy sighs but turns back to the map "I was given to my mother Joyce Summers as a baby by a douchebag named Whistler. My biological parents are...Snow White and Prince Charming, I'm the last chosen one in the Slayer line. I was sent to the Hellmouth to fight evil and crap. I have died twice and after a war with the first evil I left. I now live in Storybrooke where I broke a curse..."  
David stands "And you were able to break the cure because...you're the..."  
Buffy shrugs "Saviour, yadyda." Buffy places the parchment down and huffs annoyed "Look there's nothing that is working. I denied being the slayer for years, same with the saviour jest. This isn't working."  
Buffy stands and lifts the parchment before turning to Regina "Do it."

Regina nods and takes the paper "Finally someone with common sense. I'm begging to think there isn't a map on here. That doesn't mean it can't lead us to Henry."  
Buffy nods "A locator spell."  
"I though we decided that using magic was a bad idea." David argues.  
Hook nods in agreement "For once I agree with the prince." Charming turns to him slightly shocked, Hook shrugs "Well, I told you we're getting along."  
Buffy glances at them "Locator spell works, uses minimal magic. I've used a few in the past, Willow would cast them when we were locking for a demon. Hell they used one to find me."  
Buffy turns back to Regina who was now waving her hand over the parchment causing it to glow "This parchment belonged to Pan, it will lead us to him."  
Slowly the parchment floats out of Regina's palm and heads towards the dark jungle.

Hook groans "So it appears we will be venturing into the dark jungle after all."  
"Wasn't that at the top of the do not go list." Buffy asks.  
"That's the one."  
Buffy nods "Okay, well rules are made to be broken, guess were breaking our own now." She says softly to herself before heading towards the jungle.

* * *

"I'm surprised you let me do this spell." Regina tells Buffy as they walk together "Considering you've said your not a big fan of magic."  
Buffy shakes her head "i have no problem with magic, it can be good, I've seen it. The problem I have is when it's abused. In this case, I wanted to just make sure all the possibly ways to get to Pan were ticked off before we went to magic."  
Suddenly Regina notices the parchment stop "Wait. He's there. Pan. I can feel his smugness."

David moves around the girls and pulls out his sword "Shall we? While we still have the element of surprise on our side?"  
Buffy shrugs before pulling out the scythe, as she does Hook walks around her "Careful. He may look like a boy, but he's a bloody demon."  
Buffy sighs "Great, it's like the annoying one all over again."

"No one's here." Snow says as they walk into the small clearing of the jungle "Maybe your spell was wrong, Regina."  
"Yes." Regina says annoyed "Blame me...again."

As they walk Buffy notices something, she sees a young boy dressed very similar to Henry, but Buffy can sense something is off "Henry?" She questions.

At that moment Pan turns to face her "Hi, Buffy."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Great the annoying one. Where is Henry?" She demands.  
"You broke the rules. I mean I've heard stories of your past, I knew you had issues with rules but that's not fair. Bad form."  
Buffy shrugs "Eeh, form never really been on my to do list."  
Pan chuckles before turning to Hook "I expect more from you, Captain."  
"Aye, and you'll get it." Hook hisses.  
"Yo, kid." Buffy calls "Give me Henry now, before I start getting testy."  
Pan shakes his head "Sorry. Can't. Don't you know? Cheaters never win."

At that moment the lost boys appear, surrounding them, pointing bows and arrows at them, laced with dreamshade.  
Buffy spins the scythe in her arms preparing for a fight as Hook speaks, warning them "Watch out for their arrows. They're laced with dreamshade."

At his words the lost boys begin firing arrows. As arrows come close to Buffy the blonde spins swinging the scythe, blocking any from reaching her, as boys run at her Buffy simply grabs them tossing them to the side as she makes her way up to Pan. Boys continue to run at her and raise wooden stick but the blonde slashes them in half with her scythe.

An urge to fight harder slowly blooms in Buffy as she continues to fight, as one of the other boys runs at her he manages to hit her in the side, Buffy elbows him the face before sending a spinning kick to his chest, sending him flying through the air before crashing to the ground, Buffy makes her way up the hill to the boy and places the blade of the scythe near his near "Where is Henry?!" She hisses harshly, when the boy doesn't answer the urge in her over comes her, she raises the scythe prepared to end it, but just as the scythe is about to make contact she freezes, she notices the look of fear and horror on his face. Something she recognised from her time in San Francisco. Her hand shakes as she clutches the scythe trying to resist from bringing it down. Slowly and forcefully she pulls the blade away from the boy and steps backs, breathing hard.

"Buffy, are you alright?" Snow asks but Buffy doesn't hear her, all she can hear is the pounding of her heart as it slowly calms, the anger and urge to kill depressing.

Buffy's attention is brought back to reality as she hears Pan whistle, the blonde looks up to see all the boys return to their leader, who currently was watching her with a smirk "Maybe you don't have as much control as you think." He says, sweetly, causing her to glare at him.  
He merely smiles "Remember what I told you. That map will show you where Henry is...only when you stop denying who you really are. I'll make sure to send Henry your regards."

* * *

Buffy stares at the map as she continues to spin the scythe in her hand, an habit that she had picked up since she first found the weapon. For some reason it helped her focus more.  
Buffy looks up and sighs internally as she sees the currently grinning Snow walking towards her with David.  
"Don't let him shake your confidence." Snow tells her."We've all had moment where we felt we couldn't prevail."  
"She right." David tells her.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Now is not the time for pep talks, they don't work for me. So please, just not now, leave it alone." Buffy shakes her head and walks off to a small area away from the camp ignoring David's attempt to speak to her.

* * *

Buffy sits on a small rock and sighs as she hears Snow take a seat next to her "Please talk to me."  
"I'm not one for chit chat these days." Buffy says as she continues to glare at the map, knowing that she was going to explode if it didn't do something.  
"You have to keep fighting."  
Buffy scoffs "I know that. It's what I've been doing my whole life. You fall, you get back up, I've heard it all. But in this case, that's not gonna help me. Cause apparently my emotional baggage is playing a game in my head, so I can't open this stupid map. I can fight, I can deal with a demon, but I can't open this map."  
Buffy places the map down next to her and just continues to play with the scythe.

Snow looks over at her daughter sadly "You say you have emotional baggage, maybe that's preventing you from seeing what you are. Sometimes we think we know ourselves, but we need a push to show us the reality. That boy with the knife—you stopped fighting him. Why?  
"He's a kid." Buffy says simply.  
"No. There was something else. I saw it in your eyes. Why did you stop? Why?"

Buffy hesitates "Because...because I wanted to kill him. There is—there is something inside of me that makes me not wanna stop, to lose control and to kill. Pan said that people like me we—we are affected being here. But that urge to kill, I've had that a long time. I tried to kill the girl that attempted to kill Angel. But I didn't—"

Buffy pauses taking a deep breath "I killed people in San Francisco. More than I can count. I was tortured for months, forced to fight to the death in a ring, But—when I escaped I lost control and—I—I hunted down the people who locked me up. That look in that boy's eyes, is the same look that those people gave me when I killed them. For the past two years, I've have tried to control it, to be good, to make up for what I did."  
Snow struggles to speaks "Go on."  
"Being here, just makes me feel like everything I have done—I know they were bad people and a lot of others say I shouldn't feel guilty-but I do—being here, I'm scared that I'm gonna become a monster. My mom wanted me to be good, she was proud of me, but now..." Buffy's voice wavers as she speaks, tears dripping from her eyes "...she would be ashamed of what I became. On this Island I-I don't feel...like a hero, a slayer or even a saviour. I feel like I did back then...a murder, a monster. I feel alone."  
Buffy closes her eyes tightly and lets a few more tears fall, as she sniffles slightly.

"Buffy..." Snow says softly.  
"What?"  
"Look." Snow whispers, Buffy turns to the parchment, as it slowly reveals the map. Buffy's eyes widen as she stares at the map, she grabs it just to make sure she's not hallucinating "What happened?"  
"You admitted what you did. Who you think you are." Buffy exhales sharply before looking over at Snow "I'm sorry. I know what I've done..."  
"Buffy. It's the truth. The things you've been though, I can't judge what you've done. But listen to me, your mother..." Snow winces slightly as she says thee phrase "She is so proud of you. And so am I. It's my job now to just make sure you don't let your guilt turn you into something you're not and that you forgive yourself."

* * *

"Map is all with the working it's mojo thing now." Buffy says as she rushes back into the camp and over to Hook, David and Regina "Henry's location is smack dab in the map."  
"Where?" Regina ask.  
Hook takes the map and examines it "Uh...we're here at the southern tip of the isle, in the middle of the dark jungle, and Pan's camp lies due north."  
"Bingo, presto was his name." Buffy mutters.  
"What are we waiting for?" Regina asks getting impatient.  
Hook glances at her "Well, the terrain's not easy. There will undoubtedly be some nasty impediment along the way."  
"We should prepare." David points out "We only made it out of our last encounter because Pan let us. We need a new plan."  
Buffy nods "Gotcha. Annoying one gonna get a taste of his own medicine."  
"And if I disagree?" Regina asks.  
Buffy shrugs "Well then aloha to you, but numbers will be more effective."  
Regina sighs "You better be right." She says before walking off, while Snow and David head off to prepare.

Buffy turns to Hook who smiles at her "Excellent show of patience, Luv." He then pulls out his flask of rum "And that's what defeats a nasty little boy."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "You do realise you have a drinking problem right? Cause seriously with the rum, again?"  
Hook grins "It certainly doesn't hurt." He says before taking a swing.  
Buffy shakes her head "Is that thing like magically filling itself, it seems like it never empties."  
"A pirate never tells his secrets." Hook says with a smirk as he holds out the flask towards her.  
Buffy groans but goes ahead, as the liquid hits her throat she immediately regrets drinking it "Yyuck." She mutters as she scrunches up her face in disgust "That's just, yew."  
Hook chuckles "You're going to have to learn to stomach it eventually, luv."  
Buffy shakes her head "I'd rather not."  
Hook smiles "So just how did you unlock the map?"  
"I did what the annoying one asked."  
Hook looks into her eyes as he asks his next question "And just who are you, slayer?"

Buffy grins "A slayer never tells her secret. But wouldn't you like to know." She asks as she hands him back the flash. He takes the flash and looks into her eyes again. "Perhaps I would."  
Buffy merely tilts her head slightly at him before moving away from him and back towards her things, not noticing him watching her as she does.

* * *

Buffy is spinning the scythe again slightly away from the camp, just as Pan appears "You should be careful where you swing that."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Why, then I might miss you."  
Pan chuckles "Congratulations. You did it. So I'm a bit curious here you say your alone so can I call you Lost girl, or should I call you a monster, or a murder."  
Buffy scoffs "Give me whatever nickname you want you ain't gonna stop me, but whatever you do call will help me decide how I deal with you, once I get Henry. And I will find him."  
He chuckles again as he walks "Oh, I'm counting on that. There's a reason I tested you."  
"Really?" She asks sarcastically "So didn't see that coming."

"You see know that you've admitted what you've done, that control of yours is going to get very slippery. No one, and I mean no one not even Henry knows what you capable of. You've got a lot of anger for what the powers did to you over the years, lying to you about who you were for one. Don't deny it. You see not only will Henry not want to leave by the time you get to him, but neither will you. I see that monster being set free anytime now. I just hope I get to see it."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and turns her back on Pan walking off ignoring him but worrying about the truth in his words.


	55. Quite a Common Fairy

**_Several Years Ago –_** ** _San Francisco_**

"I hate ogres." Buffy mutters as she is tossed back into her cell completely covered in green gunk, "Yuck." She groans as she tosses it off her.  
She stands slowly and walks over to the rotting mattress on the ground and slowly pulls out the knife she had stolen from Chris. She then reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a long silver chain she had stolen off the ogre at the start of the fight when he tossed her through a wall.

At that moment Buffy hears the door open she quickly stashes the weapons in her pockets as Crystal steps into the room with one of the torturer. The witch looks at Buffy with a pout on her face "You upset me Buffy, you were barely hurt today. Not much entertainment at all."  
Crystal raises her hand and suddenly Buffy goes flying backwards crashing painfully into the wall, the witch grins "That's better." She says before turning to the man next to her "Her next fight isn't till next week I don't want her getting any ideas, weaken her, break her."  
The man nods and makes his way towards Buffy, Buffy looks up only to see his foot right before he slams it into her face knocking her unconscious.

* * *

Buffy stirs and looks up to see the torturer sharpening some blades across the room, she silently shifts in her chair and smirks internally as she feels the knife in her back pocket.

She moves her hands silently trying to reach for it but freezes when she hears footsteps.  
"Looks like sleeping beauty is awake." The tall man says as he approaches her a smile on his face.  
Buffy looks up at him and grins "Aww how sweet. So what am I supposed to call you? Coco, crazytin?"

Buffy is cut off when a punch to the face sends her head swinging to the side, Buffy rolls her head back and spits out the blood on the floor "Great so did she increase all of your strengths. Cause you know this just makes you sort of a cheap rip off of me rig—"  
This time the man cuts her off by driving a knife into her left arm. Buffy groans in pain before turning back to him just as he places on a pair of knuckle dusters before hitting her in the stomach repeatedly.

As he continues to beat her Buffy manages to maneuver the knife out of her pocket and starts cutting through the rope.

Buffy waits for her moment and as the man approaches her again she head butts him sending him sprawling to the floor. Buffy rips through the remains of the ropes and approaches the man just as he stands.  
Buffy rips out the other knife from her shoulder, and clutches both in her hands as she glares at her torturer "Let's do this."

* * *

 ** _Neverland – Present Day_**

The five of them continue through the jungle as they follow the map that Pan had given Buffy.  
As they walk Buffy continues to watch the map "How much further?" Regina asks annoyed, as she shoves another branch out of the way.

"We should be there in no time, to his supervillan lair. All we have to do is go straight...and what the hell?" Buffy says as she notices the location of Pan's lair move on the map "You slimy little brat. Oh I'm so gonna hurt you." Buffy says angrily, before turning to Hook "Wanna get with the explain-y captain, cause in my history pieces of paper don't often have moving images on them. This isn't a Harry Potter movie."  
Hook looks at the map "It's now behind us. It's the camp. Pan's moving it."  
Buffy arches an eyebrow "Seriously? What, so is his camp floating?" She asks just as David speaks "He's playing tricks on us."  
Buffy's eyes widen in panic "Unless someones got a bottle rocket or can fly in this group we're screwed cause if Pan keeps moving the camp how in the hell are we supposed to find Henry?"

* * *

"So I got my boots all messed up for nothing." Buffy says annoyed "These boots cost me a months rent. Oh he is so gonna pay for that."  
"I told you walking was idiotic." Regina tells the group "If I can just use some magic, we can materialize in the camp and grab Henry."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Yeah thing with teleportation, you gotta have a destination."  
Snow nods in agreement "We don't even know where the camp is. Have you even been listening."  
"Pan will have shields against magic." Hook informs them "I fear such an attempt would end in your death, and more importantly, mine, which is why we're walking."  
"And also why I'm going to put myself in shoe debt when this is over." Buffy says simply.  
Regina glares at the blonde "Do you take anything seriously?"  
"Unfortunately yes."  
Regina sighs before turning back to the pirate "Well, then what's your idea? How are we going to find it?"  
Buffy thinks for a moment "Torture?" She partially jokes.

While Snow and David shakes their heads, Regina actually smirks, slightly liking the idea.  
Hook chuckles "Not this time. We're going to use someone he trusts."  
"Who?" David asks "Because I guess he certainly doesn't trust you."  
"A fairy you lived here when I was about. She might still be on the island. She's be an inside source. Knows all about the camp, can get us in. She might even have some pixie dust left. Perhaps we could fly in."

Buffy thinks for a moment before her eyes widen "Now way!" She says, her inner child jumping for joy "You mean...wow I wonder if she'll look like Julia Roberts cause that would be so weird, and awesome or maybe she'll be more like the cartoon one, ohh who did her voice again, I can never—"  
"Buffy!" Snow yells.  
Buffy comes out of her own little world "Sorry, I did the word vomit thing again, didn't I. Dammit it." She then turns to Hook "You don't mean Tinker Bell do you? Please say yes." She whispers the last part to herself.  
"You know her?" He asks.  
"Man you really gotta catch up, I've seen her in a couple movies."  
Hook frowns "What's a movie?"  
"Too much intel, too little time." She says before turning to Regina who was currently shaking her head. "It's a bad idea." The queen tells them "Mark my words. This Tinker Bell is not going to save us."

* * *

As the group continue to make their way though the jungle, Hook leading them, Regina quickly approaches Buffy making the blonde pause "Buffy. There is another way."  
Buffy continues to walk with Regina as she speaks "Since when."  
"Since always. Magic."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Look I know you are big with the magic but did that whole conversation a mear 5 minutes ago just fly over your head?"  
"I'm not talking about my magic. I'm talking about our magic."  
Buffy frowns and turns to Regina "Look Regina, my powers here are already unpredictable I don't wanna risk adding magic into the mix. Plus this type of magic always comes with a price."  
Regina sighs and continues to try and argue her case "Well, sometimes not using it comes with a price, too. I bet you and I combined are strong enough to overpower Pan."  
Buffy shakes her head "I can't take that risk. Pan told me something, and he was right. I can't risk losing control or a lot of people could be hurt plus adding magic to that...I don't even wanna think about what could happen. Plus how do you even know it will work? This is Henry we are taking about."

As Snow approaches them Regina keeps her focus on Buffy "I'm aware of that. And I know you don't wanna lose control, but maybe you might have to."  
Buffy sighs as she contemplates what could happen in her head "I—I think we should see this through. I don't wanna risk this unless we absolutely have to. So let's see if we can find the green fairy girl."  
Regina scoffs "And you think it's the best plan because your boyfriend came up with it?"  
Buffy frowns in confusion "My boyfriend? The last one of those I had tried to kill me so what—Hook?" Buffy asks astonished as she comes to a realisation.  
"What's your problem?" Snow asks Regina "She just lost Angel not to mention Neal."  
Regina face suddenly covers in guilt and understanding "Sorry. I'm...I'm just worried about Henry."

* * *

As they walk Buffy notices Regina falling behind, Buffy turns to face her "Hey Quinine?"  
Regina turns to her and shrugs "Hey."  
"You're getting slow there, you got chains on your legs or something." Buffy looks back at the group who were continuing on before turning back to Regina "The pirate man thinks her place is up here. So come on."  
"Well, if she still lives there. You go waste your time searching, and I'll wait."  
Buffy sighs "Geez you really are Mrs Positivity. Buffy shakes her head before approaching the mayor "So, what'd you do?"  
"What?" Regina asks confused "Why would you assume I did something?"  
Buffy smiles "Your evading. It's what I do when my past is brought up. So let me guess you and little ms pixie dust meet in the Enchanted Forest. So what did you do to her?"  
Regina sighs "Okay. We have a complicated History."  
"And point to the slayer."

"You don't need to know the details." She insists "But if she sees me, she won't help. And if she is the way in, well, then trust me, my staying out of her sight is probably best for operation Henry."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow at that "Operation Henry?"  
"That's what I've been calling it in my head because..."  
"He'd call it that." The blonde finishes  
Regina sighs "He'd have a better name. But...it's the best I could do."  
Buffy nods "Got it. We'll go fetch the fairy and pop back by for you. We'll be as quick as a flash."  
"No, don't bother. It's better if we never see one another. And if you don't find her, keep going. Just get Henry. Don't worry about Tinker Bell."

Buffy arches an eyebrow, her curiosity eating at her "What did you do to her? I mean I've heard you've done bad stuff but it can't be this bad can it?"  
Regina sighs, "I did what I always do."

* * *

"No one's home." Hook says as he climbs into the treehouse "Come on up." He calls to the others.  
Buffy follows after David and looks around "It's pretty bare. Like my house five minutes into a party, bare and dead." As Buffy climbs up the remainder of the ladder something about the place seems so familiar "I'm getting deja-vu it's weird."

As Snow climbs up after Buffy she looks around "You'd think a tree house would be more cheery."  
As Buffy looks around the deja-vu finally makes sense "Reminds me of the place I lived in San Francisco. That's what it is. Aha, another point for the slayer, I am doing good today."  
Snow looks around the room, understanding what Buffy was getting at "Because it's a place to escape, just a place to sleep."  
Buffy turns to the raven haired beauty "No offence but didn't you live in a castle, how would you know bout that?"  
Snow huffs "I didn't always have a canopy bed and a palace. I had a place like this, too, once."  
"Seriously?"  
Snow nods "I had a tree stump when I was running from the queen. Believe it or not, I understand this Tinker Bell. The real question is, why does she have a ladder? Fairies have wings."  
David re-appears holding a white piece of cloth in his hands "Hey, guys? I found something. It's handkerchief."  
Buffy arches an eyebrow "Who still uses those?"  
"Regina." Snow says as she grabs the cloth "This is hers. How did it get here?"  
Buffy thinks for a moment "She must have been tracking us. Watching us, Regina. Kinda creepy if you ask me."  
"But if she's been watching her..."  
"Then we're in the wrong place." Hook finishes.  
David's eyes widen "Regina."

* * *

As Tinker Bell exits the cave the four of them approach her holding up their weapons "Where's Regina?" Buffy demands.  
Tinker Bell raises her hands in defence as she looks at the four of them in confusion "Who the hell are you?"  
"An irritated crazy person but that's a story for another day. Now tink get with the big reveal of the Regina."  
Suddenly Regina runs out of the cave "I'm fine. I'm fine." She assures them.

Tinker Bell continues to glare at them all "You mind lowering those? You may stick me, but I'll take you down with me."  
When both David and Buffy raise their weapons Regina intervenes "She's okay. She's not gonna hurt us. Just stand down."  
"But is she going to help us?" Hook asks.  
Tinker Bell turns her attention to the pirate "Well...look who the queen dragged in. Hello, Hook."  
"Lady Bell."  
Regina turns to the group "She's not gonna help us."  
Buffy turns to the queen "And the reason for that is...?"  
Hook sighs "Tink...after all we've been through together...little assistance?"  
"She doesn't have any magic." Regina informs them.  
David's eyes widen "No pixie dust?"  
Regina shakes her head sadly "Not even her wings."  
Buffy arches an eyebrow "See I don't know the story very well, so how does one lose their wings causing I'm guessing it's not just a simple pat on the wrist type of punishment."  
"I guess people just stopped believing in me."

Buffy frowns even more confused "I thought that if they didn't believe then fairy's die. That's what happened in the sequel anyway." She says to herself, while everyone just gives her an odd look.  
"Sorry." Buffy says "Continue." She says gesturing to Tinker Bell.  
"Look even if I wanted to help you, he's too powerful." The fairy says with a sigh.  
"But you know where Pan is." Snow points out.  
The fairy nods "Sure. But it won't do you a bit of good."  
"Let us be the judge of that. Does he trust you?"  
Buffy interjects "Do you think you could get with the sneaky sneaky sneak and get us into his man lair?"  
"Maybe." Tink answers as she crosses her arms "Why should I help you?"  
"Because I believe in you." Snow says simply.

Buffy sighs and turns back to the fairy "Look all you gotta do if leave the door open by accident, then we'll just on whistle on by and do our business."  
Tink just stares unconvinced "And what's in it for me, other than a death sentence from Pan when you're gone with your boy?"  
"We could give you a ride out of the hell hole." Buffy suggest.  
Snow chuckles "What Buffy is saying is that we take you with us. A home. That is what you want isn't it?"  
Tink stares at them all for several moments as she contemplates what to do, going against her better judgement she agrees "Okay. Listen closely. Pan trusts me. He'll let me in. And maybe, just maybe, I'll leave a way open for you. But you've only got one shot, so you better have a good plan."  
Buffy nods "You got it, fairy lady."  
"Come with us to our camp." Snow suggests "We'll figure it out."

* * *

Later the group of them sit around the fire, Buffy sits next to Hook who opens up a coconut for her. "Thanks." Buffy says as she takes the coconut and takes a sip. As she seats there she thinks about her family and friends back in England. All she could hope for was that Giles was okay and that they were all happy cause she was still not sure if she will be able to see them again and that thought terrified her.


	56. Nasty Habits

**Westbury, England**

"Come on B, I've called you like a billion times now, don't make me look like some psycho ex. It's about Giles. You need to call me, I don't know if you ended up going to the story place or whatever but you need to contact me." Faith groans in frustration before slamming her phone shut "Dammit!" She exclaims.  
"Still no luck?" Willow asks as she approaches the dark haired slayer.  
Faith merely shakes her head "No. Maybe she did end up going to that place."  
Willow takes a sad breath before sitting down "You think she's gone?"  
Faith shrugs "I don't know. But I do know one thing. B only misses my calls when she's in trouble."  
"How can you be sure about that?"  
Faith looks down at the witch "Because of San Francisco. I called her so many times, she never answered. I just thought she had lost her phone or something but when she finally got out, she never missed another call unless she was in deep trouble."  
At that moment Dawn walks into the room and turns to Faith "Is Buffy in trouble?"

* * *

 **Neverland**

Buffy drags the stick across the floor making a straight line "Okay this is Pan's man cave thing-y. That's where he's keeping Henry." Buffy points at the fairy  
"According to Tinkers over there."  
"I prefer Tink." The fairy informs her.  
Buffy sighs "Got it. But ya know until you look like Julia Roberts or wear a bright green dress I just don't see it."  
"Buffy." Snow says calmly "Focus."  
"Oh yeah. Sorry." The blonde says before turning back to the make shift map "So Tinkers says that there are sentries or...well teenagers positioned across the front." Buffy points at another position on the make shift map "So we are going to go sneaking in through the back. She'll talk her way in and leave the door open for us."

Tinker Bell interjects "You'll still have to deal with any lost boys once you're inside."  
Buffy shrugs "We've already established that. Am I not speaking English cause that happens sometimes, but normally only when I'm asleep."  
"You're speaking English." Regina confirms before turning to Tink "I think we can handle a few children with pointy sticks."  
Tink turns to the queen "It's not the sticks you need to worry about. It's the poison they're dipped in."  
"Dreamshade. Hook warned us." Snow tells her.  
"Good. Because one nick, and you'll spend the last of—"  
David suddenly stands cutting her off "Poison sticks equal death. We got it."

Buffy sighs and looks over at the fairy "Is there anything else we should worry about?"  
Tink hesitates causing Buffy to frown "What is it?"  
"You." She sighs.  
Buffy stands and looks at the fairy, her interest peaked "What do you mean me?"

"Pan has a sick obsession with slayers. He managed to get one here once, it wasn't good. The magic in this land has a negative affect on people like you but Pan has a worse affect."  
Buffy crosses her arms, her worry building "What do you mean a worse affect?"  
"Pan likes taking advantage of the darkness. He has traps around the island, specific to people like you. These traps are likely going to be in his camp."  
"What do you mean traps?" Snow asks "What do they do?"

Tink sighs "They force a slayer to relive her worst moments. She feels everything and in some places anyone with her is capable of seeing what she has been through. The pain of reliving some of the things that slayers go through, it forces them to turn, to allow the darkness to consume them." She pauses "Pan killed the last one after she let the darkness consume her. It made him stronger. But not before she killed ten of the lost boys."

Buffy was staring with wide eyes before turning to face away from the group for a second, she takes a deep breath, holding back tears "I'll just have to be careful. Now when can we put this recuse thing into action?"

Everyone watches Buffy careful before facing the fairy who sighs before answering "I'm ready to go, just as soon as you tell me the exit plan."  
Buffy spins her head around and freezes "You do have an escape plan, don't you?" Tink asks.  
Snow hesitates before answering, stuttering slightly as she does "It's it's more of a last-minute trip."  
Tink stares at them all astonished "If you don't have a way off this island then none of this matters."  
"We'll figure it out." Regina tells her as she stands.  
"You'll figure it out? No one comes and goes from this place unless he allows it. This is a waste of time."  
David glances over at the fairy, "Hey, when it comes to family, we always find a way."  
"You don't get it. Here. Let me show you something. You know what this is?" She asks as she pulls out a watch.  
Buffy shrugs "I don't know but I know it rimes with swatch." She says sarcastically with a roll of her eyes.  
"I got it from the people who brought your son here for Pan."  
Buffy's eyes widen in fury "Grey and Tamara." She turns on the fairy "Tell me where they are or I swear—"  
Tink cuts the blonde off "I got it off the girl's body. Spent half the night cleaning the blood off it. And the other guy...well there wasn't enough left of him to find anything useful."  
Buffy shrugs "Karma." She muttered slightly under her breath, the only person who heard her was Regina who merely smirked at the comment.

"This is what Pan does to people he employs." Tink explains "What do you think he's gonna do to you? I'm not sticking my neck on Pan's chopping block without a way off this island. When you figure that out you know where I live."  
Tink then turns on them and heads off.  
Snow starts to panic "Where the hell is she going?"  
"I'll get her, bring her back." David says as he starts to follow her but Buffy's voice stops him.

"Don't. There's no point." She tells him "I've been held against my will in enough places to know it's best to have a way out. Otherwise...let's just say it ain't pretty. And your favourite pair of JimmyChoos will be ruined for ever."  
Charming sighs and turns to Hook "What about you, Hook? You got off this Island before."  
"Yes, aboard my ship." The pirate informs them "Which would require some form of magic to create a portal, which...I got from Pan in a deal I don't think he's ready to repeat."  
Regina sighs frustrated "So no one's ever left the Island without Pan's permission."  
"One man." He says before turning to Buffy "Your first partner in crime. Neal."  
Buffy's eyes widen "You wanna explain that?"  
"I'm not sure. But maybe we can find out."

* * *

The five of them make their way through the jungle and finally come to a stop right in front of a large boulder.  
"What is this supposed to be?" Regina asks as she stares unimpressed.  
Buffy merely frowns "Okay so Tinker Bell, Peter Pan now Tarzan." She says gesturing to the vines "Cause if Neal is actually Tarzan I'm gonna get even more confused about all of this."  
Hook steps forwards "Well, if someone would be kind enough to lend me a hand, what do you say, saviour?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I think I preferred you just calling me slayer." Buffy then places a hand on Hook's chest as he tries to walk past her "I got it." She tells him "Wouldn't want you to wear yourself out."  
Hook merely smirks causing Buffy to again roll her eyes "I swear if you make another innuendo I'm going to hit you."

Buffy shakes her head as the expression on his face doesn't change. She then steps up to the large rock and grabs onto one of the vines and with a swift pull a secret passageway rises.  
Buffy grins "Done." She says like a child before making her way inside.

* * *

"Hook!" Buffy yells as the three women stare at the cave surrounding them "About that explain-y thing. You wanna get to that now?"  
Hook doesn't answer he just moves to light one of the torches, however he fails miserably and David simply moves in front of him lighting it with a lighter.  
Buffy looks around as light fills the room revealing all the drawings covering the walls, her eyes widen slightly as she stares stunned "Neal." She realises "This was his home."  
"Aye." Hook tells her "Baelfire spent some time in Neverland as a boy. This was his home."  
Buffy nods as she begins wondering around the room "That explains why most of the guys I've dated have been over 100 years old."

Snow shakes her head amused before turning to Hook "So you think he may have left a clue to how he escaped from here."  
"Well, let's hope so, or we'll be lost just like he was." Hook informs her.

* * *

"Anything important?" Hook asks Buffy as she looks around the cave.  
Buffy shrugs "Beats me, I was never much with the research crap. I'm more of a punch first type of girl." Buffy pauses "Plus, I don't know a lot about him. I didn't know he liked drawing, we just never talked about stuff like that."  
"He got it from his mother." Hook informs her, Buffy turns to him and two stare at each other before she looks away and continues to search "Let's just hope he left something useful in the squiggles, maybe a map or something."  
Buffy frowns as she spots something, she turns to David "Pass me that candle."  
David lights the candle before handing it to the blonde. Buffy gives him a smile of thanks before heading back over to her previous place, as she does she addresses Hook "What about you? Any luck which would helps us, oh say now?"

Hook shakes his head "No potted bean plant or swirling vortex under the rug, if that's what you mean. There may be no rug at all. There are other drawings on the far wall, but as far as I can tell, that's all they are. Probably just a way to pass the time and keep occupied."  
Hook turns to her and Buffy hesitates before speaking "You knew him pretty well, huh?"  
"We spent some time together." Buffy sighs "You alright there, Slayer?" He asks.  
Buffy nods "I'm cool. Nothing wrong with good old Buff. But you're right there just scribbles."

Buffy moves away from him, as she realises how close they were standing, she then walks over to the others "Are we making lunch? Hopefully pizza of some kind." She says as she spots the cups and bowls.  
David chuckles "Unfortunately not. I doubt you can even have a drink out of this." He says holding up a coconut that had been fashioned into a cup "Don't know how great a cup this coconut could make. It's filled holes."  
As Mary Margaret suggests it may be a colander Buffy looks at the object carefully she frowns slightly before taking the coconut out of David's hands. She looks at the other coconut she was currently using as a torch and notices something.

"Hook, put out the light." She tells him.  
As he does Buffy places the coconut pieces together.  
Regina just stares unimpressed "Am I supposed to be impressed that he made a night-light?"  
Buffy merely ignores her and looks up at the ceiling, "Look up."

Everyone looks up to see the coconut had in fact made a map of the stars on the ceiling "Stars." Mary Margaret breaths.  
"It's a map." Hook realises.  
David continues to looks at the stars trying to figure it out "To where?"

* * *

"How can you be so sure it's map?" Snow asks Hook.  
Hook looks away from the ceiling to address the group "There was a short time in Neverland when Baelfire was aboard my ship. I taught him to navigate using the stars. What you're looking at is the fruit of my labours."  
Regina for once feeling like this may actually work turns to the pirate "Then you can read it."  
"Sadly, no."  
Buffy's head immediately swings in his direction "Huh? And I mean an extreme huh? Thought you were all with the teaching in this case, just do what teachers do and pull apart hard work."  
"I'm afraid it's not as easy as that love. I also taught Neal something else. They key to being a pirate—"  
"Rum?" Buffy jokes.  
"No." Hook tells her "Secrecy. The best captains conceal their maps in a code. He was an apt pupil."  
Snow's eyes widen as she understands what he is getting at "So you're saying the only person who can read this map is Neal?"  
"Which means we are screwed." Buffy says "Cause he's dead."  
Buffy sighs before leaving the cave alone.

Snow and David glance at each other before following after their daughter.  
"Buffy, wait!" David yells as he spots her heading for the forest.  
Snow quickly runs over and blocks her way Buffy rolls her eyes "I suggest you both leave me alone. I don't have time for this bonding crap."  
Snow ignores her "I can't even imagine the sadness you must be feeling."

Buffy shakes her head "I'm not sad. I'm not anything other than royally pissed off. Neal, Angel, Spike, Riley god even Chris they are all dead. I lose everyone and losing both Angel and Neal at the same time just reminds me of something." Buffy's voice breaks slightly "I'm pissed cause all this just makes me feel guilt for something I didn't want to admit. All these years thinking that Neal didn't love me made it easier, because I didn't love him. I never did. Not in the way I loved Angel. And I hate myself for it, I wanted to believe that I loved him, and I do care about him, but when he came back..." Buffy shakes her head "...I can't do this."  
Buffy shakes her head again before running back into the cave.


	57. Good Form

_Several years ago – San Francisco_

Buffy rips the knife from her shoulder as she stands. Now armed with two knives she glares at her torturer "Let's do this."  
The man glares at her "You stupid little bitch!" He hisses as he wipes the blood from his nose, he grabs the butcher's knife on the table and raises it towards her "When I'm done with you there's not gonna be enough for Crystal to play with anymore."  
Buffy merely shrugs "I'm not one for playtime anyway. Kind of a loner."

The man runs at her and swings the blade wildly, Buffy ducks and just manages to miss the blade from meeting her flesh.  
Buffy swings her leg out and slams it into the man's knee causing him to drop, she then backhands him across the face sending him flying across the room.

The man slams into the wall, leaving a large dent in the concrete, Buffy smirks "Maybe playing isn't so bad at all."  
The man growls and stands he then runs at her, surprising Buffy with his speed.  
He grabs Buffy and lifts her off the ground slamming her up against the wall, Buffy struggles as his grip tightens on her.

She grabs one of her knives and drives it into his side, only to have him growl again and move to punch her.  
Buffy takes the strong hit to her jaw and groans slightly but she ignores the pain and shoves his arms off her and punches him in return.

The man swings the blade at her again, this time managing to catch her arm, he then grabs the back of her head and slams her face first into the wall before slamming his foot down on the back of her knee.  
Buffy tumbles to the ground only to have him kick her in the stomach sending her flying again.

She lands painfully on the ground and winces as she realizes one of her ribs was broken. Again. However, before she can do anything she spots the man coming towards her again.  
As he stands above her, Buffy glares up at him before flipping herself upwards kicking him in the face in the process.  
As he stumbles back Buffy swings her leg out at him, kicking him in the face, she then leaps in the air and sends a powerful kick to his chest.

He growls as he crashes against the metal table where all the knives and torture devices were being kept he then throws the blade in his hand at her.  
Buffy drops her own knives and catches the butchers blade in her palms. As she does the man runs back at her.

Buffy squares herself up and prepares for the attack, as he tries to attack her she grabs his arm before backhanding him in the face, she twists his arm behind him back and forces it upwards. As she places more pressure on his arm she hears a loud cracking noise, causing the man to scream in agony.  
Buffy then grabs a fist full of his hair forcing his head back, before he can do anything she brings the blade to his neck and slices his throat.  
Buffy watches as the blood spills from his wound before he crumbles to the ground.

Buffy drops the blade to the ground and the whole room goes silent, all she can hear is the pounding in her chest and all she can see is the blood spilling from his throat.  
Buffy stares with wide eyes, horror filling them. Her hand trembles as she realizes what's she's done.

Buffy is shaken out of her horror as she hears more guards from down the hall.  
Buffy quickly grabs the blade back off the ground, stepping over the man's body she leans against the wall by the door.  
She takes a deep breath preparing for what's to come. She needed to get the scythe, it was in the room across the hall, she remembered seeing one of the guards playing with it.  
She takes one more breath and clutches the blade in her hand before pulling the door open and stepping into the hall.

* * *

 **Neverland – Present Day**

Buffy traces her hand across the walls of the cave, as she stares intently at the drawings. As Buffy approaches the make-shift bed, Neal had been using for all those years she spots something that catches her eye, she pulls the sheet off the bed and is about to pull the mattress off when Hook turns to her.  
"You need a hand, Luv?"  
Buffy arches an eyebrow "Funny. I got it."  
"Wasn't meant to be a joke." He says with a smile as he grabs the mattress and pulls it away.  
Buffy pouts "I was gonna do it."  
Hook merely smirks at her "Guess you'll just have to be faster next time."

Buffy shakes her head in amusement before turning to what had originally drawn her attention in the first place.  
Buffy whistles at the sight ,as she comes to a realization that Neal had been marking down each and every day he had been trapped here "Wow, that's a lot of days." She whispers to herself.  
"What is it?" David asks as he spots Buffy staring at the wall with Hook intently.  
"It appears Neal marked his days trapped on this Island." Hook answers.  
Buffy glances at Hook "It sounds so weird when you call him Neal." She shrugs before climbing up to get a better look at the markings.  
Her eyes widen "He said he'd be at least a hundred years old." She turns to Hook "There's a lot more days than this in a hundred years."  
Snow finally turns to her daughter "What's wrong?"  
Buffy glances at her before pointing to the wall where the marking's suddenly stopped "He spotted counting."  
Snow smiles "Cause he got off the island."

Buffy shakes her head "Nope. Neal told me that he was over a good hundred. Even with my crappy calculations, this doesn't equal 100 plus. A year or two maybe."

David frowns in confusion "Then why stop counting—"  
"No hope." Buffy says simply "Time doesn't matter when you nothing else left."  
Regina merely rolls her eyes "You got that from scribbles?"

Buffy takes a deep breath before jumping down and turning to face the Queen "I got it because I've done it. Didn't write it down but I counted, the days after my mom died till time just faded into one. Same with San Fransisco I got to the point where I didn't even know how long I had been there. I figured I was gonna die. No point in counting days. No hope. Without that hope counting is pointless."

David nods in understanding "You think the same thing's happening to Henry."  
"A big with the yes."  
"Hey. We're gonna rescue him."  
Buffy sighs "And as great as it is that we know that, there is one person who doesn't. Let me think who that is...oh yeah Henry. He could think we're all off in Cancun at the moment drinking mojitos. It's what Pan wants. And he's a spoilt brat so my guys he's getting exactly what he wants."

Regina arches an eyebrow as she listens to the blonde's statement "So what, you want to send him a message? Because I haven't seen a Neverland post office. What are you suggesting?"  
Buffy shrugs "What I have in mind isn't exactly morally correct."  
Regina grins "Hm, now you're talking my language."

Buffy rolls her eyes "Calm it down queenie. I'm just saying let's take a page from Pan. And if those lost boys keep trying to kill us well I'll rip off one of their heads and send it in a basket. How's that for a sign?" Buffy frowns at what she had just said and takes a deep breath trying to control the darkness threatening to overcome her.  
Snow shakes her head "That won't be necessary. But having the lost boys around...well maybe it's time we used that to our advantage."  
"How?" Regina asks "Cause at the moment my favorite idea is still the one where we send a head in a basket."  
"Follow me I'll show you." Snow says before heading out the cave.

Buffy moves to follow however Hook blocks her path "Slayer."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Yeah? Hook you do realize we are on a tight schedule right?"  
Hook smiles nervously "I, uh...I just wanted to let you know that I do know what it feels like, to lose hope."  
Buffy sighs "Look whatever new type of bonding or flirting this is, I really don't have the time nor the mood to deal with this."  
Buffy merely walks around him before exiting the cave.

Hook watches her go and as he starts to follow David approaches him, hand on his sword in a threatening way "Let me give you a bit of advice, Hook. She's never gonna like you."  
Hook arches his brows at the prince "Is that so?"  
"Well, how could she? You're nothing but a pirate."

* * *

Buffy stares at the weeds that Snow had given her and pouts "That's one manicure down the drain. Pan is so gonna pay for that."  
Buffy sighs and as she looks over at Snow she notices Hook watching her intently, she catches his eyes and he merely smirks at her, she keeps his gaze only to tear it away when she hears Regina complaining.  
"A trap? That's your plan? And why are we not listening to the head in a basket plan?"  
Snow sighs "The lost boys wanna come after us, we need to go after them. But we're not going to behead one of them."  
Hook looks over at the princess, with a skeptical gaze "You really think a lost boy is gonna betray Pan?"  
Snow brushes him "Thanks for the advice. David?"  
David, who looked clearly exhausted turns to his wife "Yeah?" He asks out of breath.  
"We need more vines."

David smiles at his wife and moves to head into the forest however his eyes glaze over in fury as he spots Hook eyeing his daughter "You're coming with me, pirate." He hisses.  
Hook doesn't move from his place "Why is that?"  
Buffy glances over a smirk on her face "We need Rope, you might as well do something other than sitting there like a post."  
Hook turns to the blonde a smile on his face and bows "If the lady insists..."  
Buffy can't help but roll her eyes but finds herself staring after him.

* * *

"What in the hell is a sextant? I don't speak sailor and I swear if this some creepy innuendo I will hit you." Buffy warns.  
"Buffy." Snow says with a sigh.  
The blonde rolls her eyes and huffs "Fine. Whatever." Buffy turns back to Hook "Wanna explain why you didn't tell us about this sailor thing-y you know...yesterday or when we first showed up!"  
Regina places her hands on her hips as she glares at the pirate "How do we know you're not lying?"  
"Oh, you don't, but I'm not. It's the best hope yet we've had of an exit plan. And don't forget we're gonna need one."  
Buffy shrugs, she leans over and grabs the scythe out of the ground before spinning it in her palm "So let's move then. It's always night here but I'm still gonna say we don't have all day."

Hook sighs and approaches the young slayer "Buffy...you were right. You need to get that message to Henry. Every day without hope is a day closer to becoming a lost boy. Your father and I should go."

Buffy stares as Hook moves to approach Charming "What? But...oh come on...this is so not fair. I'm not good with Rope making."  
"Hook's right." David says as he turns to his wife and daughter, Snow merely looks at him skeptically "Uh, you wanna split up?"  
David shakes his head and approaches them both "It's the last thing I wanna do but...if there's a chance he can get us home."  
"Okay."  
David smiles before facing Buffy "And, Buffy, while I'm gone, just..."

Buffy arches a brow "Warning I tend to do the opposite of what I'm told, like if my mom told me not to go to a party I would climb out my window so...do not say listen to your mother."  
Charming chuckles at his daughter "Be careful."  
"I make no promises." She says with a smile.  
David smiles again before looking at her seriously "And when you send that message to Henry, add something to it, would ya? Tell him...tell him Granpa loves him."  
Suddenly David pulls Buffy into a hug.  
"Um." Buffy stands there frozen; very confused "Um...okie-dokie. Well as the say...break an arm—no wait leg. It's leg right?"  
"Yeah." Snow tells her.  
Buffy tries to nod but David was still holding her, Buffy taps him on the back awkwardly "Okay you can let go now. It's getting weird."

David pulls away and moves towards his wife.  
Buffy watches curiously as David says goodbye to Snow, she frowns, however, something in the corner of her eye catches her gaze, there standing in the forest was someone she never thought she would see again.  
"Chris."  
She starts to step towards him however Snow calls her "Buffy." Buffy glances at her before looking back towards to see Chris only now he was gone "Are you okay?" Snow asks as she approaches her daughter.  
Buffy shakes herself and blinks a few times "Yeah, just thought I saw something."

* * *

Regina, Snow, and Buffy wait in their places as the young lost boy moves into their trap.  
The three of them stare intently as a young boy appears, Buffy glances over at Snow giving her a swift nod, Snow nods back before pulling out an arrow and firing it at the rope currently holding up the trap. As the arrow breaks through the rope the trap falls trapping the young lost boy.

The three women all run towards the boy, their weapons raised, as the boy struggles before removing the trap he looks at them all astonished "What are you doing?!" He exclaims "Are you trying to start a war with Pan?"  
Buffy glares at the boy as she twirls the scythe in her hands, "I've been in a lot of wars, this is one war I will gladly fight, if it gets me, my son!"  
Regina glances at the young boy "But that doesn't make you our enemy." She says soothingly, she opens her hand towards him revealing a piece of chocolate.  
"What's that?" The boy asks as he stands to stare at the object in her hands curiously.  
"Chocolate." She says simply "I thought you might like the taste of something sweet."

Buffy turns to the boy "Look kid, we're not gonna hurt you. We just want to have a little chat. You see we need you to deliver a message to Henry."  
"Why should I help you?" The boy asks "I remember the last time someone like you was here. She killed a lot of my friends."  
Buffy shrugs "I have a lot more self-control." The blonde sighs "Look, I'm not like the others. I just want Henry back, you're a teenager I'm guessing you got an old man and nagging mom somewhere. Nice house white picket fence. We can take you back to that."

Regina smiles at the boy and offers him the chocolate, the boy looks at it skeptically before taking it out of Regina's hand, he smells it before tossing it away into the jungle. He then turns back to the three women chuckling "Don't you get it? I'm here because I don't want to go home. None of us do."

Buffy arches a brow "Seriously you'd rather live in a jungle with no air conditioning under the control of a mini sociopath. Not such a good plan." Buffy gestures to the large cut on his cheek "Clearly he's a butt ball. But if you into the whole S&M that's your thing."

The boy touches the wound on his cheek before chuckling "Oh, Pan didn't do this. Henry did."

* * *

Buffy throws the scythe at the boy, it catches his jacket pinning his to the nearby tree, she then approaches the boy and slams him painfully against the tree "Don't you lie to me." She hisses.

The boy stares at her fearfully for a second before a wide grin covers his face "It's too late! Henry is a lost boy now! Your boy is one of the most vicious new recruits we have had in ages!"  
Buffy glares at him before punching him in the face knocking him down to the ground "Buffy!" Snow yells before quickly walking over and pulling her daughter away from the boy who was now groaning in pain.

"Get off me." Buffy moans as she shakes Snow off her, she glances back at the boy "He'll live. For now." Buffy moves to go back again but Snow blocks her path "Buffy no, you heard what Pan said about people like you. What this place could do to you? You can't give in."  
"Sure sounds like a good idea right about now" Buffy mutters as she continues to glare at the boy.

Regina watches the exchange between the mother and daughter before moving towards the door but Snow moves to block her path "Move aside." Regina orders.  
"Why?"  
"So I can rip his heart out." Regina tells her "Then he'll do exactly what we want."  
"This is not how we do things." Snow hissed, horrified by the concept of what Regina wanted to do "Buffy, we can find another way to get to Henry."

Regina glances at the princess skeptically "Really?" She then turns to Buffy "And what do you think, Buffy?"  
Buffy turns to Regina "Your idea is a lot cleaner than mine. Whatever it takes. And right now we need to speak to our son."  
While Regina grins Snow's eyes widen in absolute horror "We can't do this. This is brutal."  
Buffy grabs Snow letting Regina move towards the boy, Buffy keeps a tight grip on Snow making her unable to move away "It needs to be done. And she can do it."  
"Buffy!" Snow screams as she continues to struggle.  
Buffy ignores her attempts "Do it, Regina."

* * *

Buffy glances up from the scythe to look at Snow who was staring off into the distance "Mary Margaret, I'm sorry."  
"You don't have to apologize to me." Snow says flatly "It's Henry I'm worried about."

Buffy sighs, she places the scythe back in its holder before rubbing her hands together "I know. I have been held captive before, it's why Regina and I will do whatever it takes."  
"When we finally get to him, I just wanna make sure the line is still there."  
Buffy frowns "We've had this talk Mary Margaret about the line, you know where I stand."  
"Yes, I do. But I also know that you have come so far to try and make up for your mistakes, before we came here, you wouldn't have crossed that line." Snow glances at her daughter "The line between what Regina is willing to do and what you are."

Buffy glances down for a second before looking Snow directly in the eye "The thing is, I will do whatever I have to. The reason that I will cross that line is to make sure he never has too. I will do anything I can to make sure Henry never has to be like me and experience the same things."  
Buffy stands and moves towards Regina "Second thoughts?" The queen asks.  
Buffy shakes her head "Not a chance, let's get him that message."  
Regina grins "Oh we're gonna do more than that." She says as she pulls a compact mirror out of her pocket and breaks it in two handing one-half to the lost boy "We're gonna see him."

* * *

Buffy, Regina, and Snow all crowd around the mirror.  
A smile instantly covers Buffy's face as Henry appears on the screen "Henry, can you hear me?"  
 _"Mom?"  
_ Buffy smiles "Yeah, kiddo, how you doing? Probably a stupid question but come on just talk."  
Henry shakes his head refusing to believe that his family was actually here _"This is a trick."  
_ Buffy chuckles "Dude, no one babbles as bad as me...well maybe Willow...but that's not the point—point is we're here. This isn't a trick. Henry, I promise you this is real. Really real. Kid, it's operation cobra rescue. It's us. Ignore the bad hair none of us have showered in days."  
Henry chuckles _"You're really here?"  
_ "Yeah. We're coming to get you. We're gonna spring you free."  
Suddenly Henry looks away a look of fear covering his face _"There's someone coming. It's Pan. I-I gotta go."  
_ "Henry."  
 _"I got to go."  
_ Regina nods sadly "We love you." She says before the screen goes blank.

* * *

"You think he's okay?" Mary Margaret asks as the three of them make their way through the jungle back to their camp site.

Buffy nods "Obviously not peaches and cream but he's up there in the good."  
"You know this how?" Regina asks skeptically.  
Buffy chuckles "He has the Evil Queen and the Longest living slayer for moms. I think that answers itself. He's a survivor now he has what any survivor needs. Hope."

Buffy continues to walk pausing slightly as Mary Margarets voice's cuts through the silence "I'm sorry I doubted you." Buffy turns to her "I'm just...I know how easy it is to give into the darkness. Especially for you after everything that's happened. And what this place is doing to you, pushing you to cross that line."  
"She didn't." Regina says "I did. She stopped herself. That's what I'm here for. One happy family. Plus it's best the slayer doesn't cross the line from what Pan has said I'd rather not be sliced up in my sleep."

Suddenly the three women three as they hear a rustling sound coming from the jungle, getting louder as it approaches them. Buffy grabs the scythe from her back and prepares for an attack, however, David and Hook come out of the jungle.  
"You can stand down. It's us."

All three women lower their weapons, as they do David runs over to Snow and kisses her passionately lifting her off the ground as he does.  
Buffy groans in disgust before turning to Hook "Where's the sextant?" Regina asks.  
"I'm afraid Pan got to it first" Hook tells them.  
Buffy glances back at her parents just as David pulls Snow back in for another kiss, Buffy groans "Can I be blind?" Buffy turns to Regina "You know any blind spells?"  
The other woman shakes her head "Unfortunately not, I'm very willing to learn one right now...what I wouldn't give for another sleeping curse."  
Buffy nods in agreement "Gotta any spares?"

The couple who were finally separating from each other turn to Hook  
"Hook..." David says drawing everyone's attention "He saved my life."  
The pirate's eyes widen "You sure you wanna tell them that, mate?"  
David nods giving hook a grateful smile "On our trek, we were ambushed by lost boys. Pinned down, outnumbered. But Hook, he risked his life to stop me from getting hit by a poisoned arrow."  
David pulls away from his wife and approaches the pirate "But if it wasn't for Hook, I wouldn't be alive. Your flask, please."

Hook pulls the flask out handing it to David.  
The prince smiles and raises the flash towards him "I thought he deserved a little credit."  
A small smile grazes Hook's lips "Thank you."  
David takes a swing of the rum before groaning in disgust, as he does Buffy's eyes widen "Oh that's where I get that from. That makes a lot more sense."  
Buffy glances over at Snow as the princess took the flask from her husband "To Hook."  
After taking a swing of the rum herself Snow holds out the flask to Regina who groans in disgust "I don't do rum." She says before walking away.

Buffy shakes her head in amusement before taking the flask "To captain guyliner." She says as her and Hook move further into the forest just out of sight from the others. She takes a swing and like her father groans in disgust but swallows.  
"Never going to quit with the nicknames are you, Slayer?"  
Buffy smirks "I will when you do." Slowly the smirk falls and she looks at him seriously "So you saved him?"  
"That surprise you?"  
Buffy steps closer to him handing him the flask "I don't know. Don't really see a whole lot of male bonding with you and David. Not big with the bromance."  
Hook watches Buffy intently before glancing away as he answers "I may not understand exactly what you just said, but from what I can tell you...I wouldn't leave your father to perish on this island."  
Buffy's expression softens and she looks at him gratefully "I better say thank you than."

Slowly a small smirk covers his face "There are other ways to show gratitude." He says as rubs his hand over his chin before taping on lips.  
Buffy rolls her eyes, smirking slightly "I think I'll stick with the thank you."  
Hook's smirk doesn't leave his face, he merely moves closer to her "Mm. That's all your father's life is worth to you?"  
"Depends on the father. But considering you saved the good one..." Buffy pauses "Doesn't matter you couldn't handle a woman like me."

Buffy turns on him intent on walking away however she pauses as she hears him speak "Perhaps you're the one who couldn't handle it."  
Buffy arches a brow she spins around, going against her better judgment she steps forwards grabbing the lapels of Hook's jacket and pulling him towards her before kissing him.

Hook slightly shocked at first kisses her back, he brings his hand up and tangles it in her hair as he deepens the kiss.  
Buffy cluctches onto his jackets as the kiss grows more passionaite however after a few minutes she pulls away breathing heavily "That was, um..." Hook tries to get out a sentence but he too was breathing heavily as he leaned in closer to her again.  
Buffy pulls back "Told you couldn't handle it." Buffy steps away "This won't be happening again." She tells him as she turns away and starts to head back to camp "Don't follow me. Go do something inconspicuous. Like get firewood or water...whatever."  
"As you wish." Hook says as he watches her walk away from him, his hand hovers over his lips before he exhales deeply, still trying to catch his breath.

* * *

Pan steps towards Hook crouching down in front of him "Tell me something, what would a 'man of honor' like yourself do with a big fat secret?"  
Hook puts the flask down and glances down at the young man "Um...depends what the secret is."  
"Baelfire." Pan states simply causing Hook's eyes to widen "Neal. Whatever name he goes by these days. Henry's father. The guy Buffy used to love. Not that Angel chap unfortunately that would have been more entertaining, watching you compete with her soulmate...but I work with what I can."  
Hook stands "He's dead. They both are."  
"One is...Neal on the other hand very much alive. That's not even the best part..." Pan smirks and begins backing away from Hook, heading further into the jungle "...he's in Neverland."  
Hook's eyes widen "Is he?"  
"Oh, yes. Can you believe it? I'm sure Buffy would love to know that Henry's father is still alive. But I'd hate for that to get in the way of a budding romance. So I'll leave it up to you. To tell her or not. Let's see what kind of man you really are."

* * *

Buffy was cleaning the scythe, something that she found herself doing very often, she found it was a way to calm herself, a way to let all her frustrations just flow away. As she continues to wipe the blade clean of the mud and grass she hears a rustling behind her, she tightens her grasp on the scythe, but continues to clean.

As the rustling gets closer, Buffy quickly stands, she spins around swinging the scythe only for it to swing through the open air.  
Buffy frowns, breathing heavily she looks around confused, she could have sworn that she had heard something "What the hell?"  
"Not hell." A voice says from behind her.  
Buffy spins around however before she can swing the scythe she freezes, her whole body going rigid, as there standing in the middle of the jungle was Chris.  
"Chris." Buffy breaths.  
Chris smiles at the young slayer "Hey beautiful."  
"You're dead. You can't be here."  
Chris chuckles slightly "Yeah I'm dead." He steps closer to her but still keeps a fair distance very aware of the tight grasp she had on the scythe "You did kill me after all."


	58. Ariel

**Westbury, England**

"So, three choices here..." Dawn says as she sits on the couch in the waiting room, trying to process all the information the others had told her "...option one: Buffy lost her phone, Option 2: She and the others went back to the enchanted forest or option three..." Dawn takes a shaky breath, trying to keep tears from falling "...she couldn't stop these people and she—she's..."

Willow's eyes fill with worry and she quickly rushes over to the young girl and wraps her arms around "Come on Dawnie, this is Buffy we're talking about here." She takes the young girls face in her hands and forces her up to look at her "She's a survivor."

"Red's right." Faith says as she leans against the wall opposite them "B always has been. She'll be fine."

"How can we be sure? It's not like Buffy's never died. What if this time, she doesn't come back? And even if she is alive..." Dawn glanced over at Faith "...you said that she told you, she wouldn't be able to contact us ever again. If they survived and jumped into that portal, then she's gone. Henry's gone. We'll never see them again. We just got her back, she can't be gone."

Faith sighs, she wasn't quite sure what to say, mostly because she didn't know what to think. Faith's train of thought was suddenly cut short as Giles' doctor appears in front of them "We have some news."

* * *

 **Neverland**

Buffy stares at the logs of firewood, as everyone watches her she continues to stare trying to conjure up some sort of magic inside her.  
Regina who was crouched next to the blonde slayer huffs in frustration before standing and glaring at Buffy "Concentrate."

Buffy tears her eyes away from the logs and turns to Regina, a sour look on her face "Oh I'm sorry." She says sarcastically "Why don't you just continue antagonising me, while I stare at a log. I mean clearly, it's working so well for my concentration."

Regina rolls her eyes "I'm distracting your concentration? You are The Slayer, so here's an idea, summon all that concentration from the past what? 11 years? And use it. Yes, concentrations hard. That's the point."

Buffy sighs "Look I know this. I have to concentrate to not kill someone when I hit them. Magic is just outside of my...concentration zone."

"Well then listen to me." Regina tells her as she stops circling the blonde and turns to face her "Find your anger and use it to focus."  
Buffy arches a brow "Yes because being able to barely control my rage at the moment is so much fun, I should just give in. Everyone ready set, run."  
Regina shakes her head, rubbing her forehead in frustration, "I'm not saying completely, just a little anger. Otherwise, you're nothing more than a pathetic waste of ability."  
Buffy shrugs "And you're a psycho but you don't see me being all judgy."

Suddenly a grin covers Regina's face, as she sniffs the air "Smell that?"  
Buffy groans slightly "Geez whose barbequing."  
"That would be you." Regina says as she gestures to the now burning logs "Smoke." She says with a smirk before moving away.

Buffy looks down at the firewood which was now burning brightly, she crouches down in front of the fire and a small smile graces her lips "Willow would be so proud."

Buffy momentarily glances up and spots Hook speaking to Mary Margaret and David, she slowly stands and moves to step towards them "Buffy." A voice whispers making the blonde pause.  
"Buffy."

The blonde's hair spins around her as she turns to face the person who had spoken, she immediately groans in annoyance "Go away." She whispers harshly.  
"Nope. We need to talk."  
Buffy glares at him before grabbing his arm and dragging him into the woods away from the camp "What do you want, Chris?"  
Chris smiles at her softly "I missed you. Look I just wanna spend some time with you. You owe me that much."

Buffy stands there, hands on her hips looking at him completely unimpressed "I don't owe you anything. You're dead not my problem. So you can move your ghost or hallucination ass out of my way."  
"You may not have killed me. But you let me die. Don't you feel any guilt, I loved you, Sar—Buffy."

Buffy glares at him, fury building inside her "Look I'm sorry you're dead. But you chose to help Crystal. You stabbed me in the back and threw me to the wolfs. So I don't care what you want. Just stay the hell away from me."

Buffy moves away from Chris ,she begins to head back into the camp but Chris's voice makes her pause "I'm not leaving Buffy. Not till I get what I came for."

Buffy closes her eyes refusing to face him and merely steps forward and continues on her path.

Buffy storms back into the camp furious, she swings the scythe in her hands trying to calm herself, slowly she takes several deep breaths "One, two, three. Be brave. Live."

Finally, after a few more calming breaths the blonde slayer opens her eyes, only to freeze as she spots Hook, Mary Margaret and David preparing to head out into the woods "Geez I was gone for like a second. What did I miss? Where are you going?"

"To get water." David says automatically only to groan as at the same time Hook says "Firewood."

Buffy frowns and looks at the three of them sceptically "Oh yeah, cause that's totally not suspicious at all."  
Snow turns to Buffy and with a breath blurts out three words that Buffy was not prepared for "Neal's alive."

"You have got to be kidding me." Buffy groans "I mean, come on first—" Buffy freezes as the words start to sink in finally, her eyes slowly widen in shock before her mouth drops open leaving her gaping like a fish "What-why-how-huh?" She shakes her head "No, no, no. He—he's dead. I saw him...Neal, he can't be alive."

"He might be." Snow says before glancing at both Hook and David "Sorry. She deserved to know."

* * *

"This is a waste of time." Regina tells them all "He's toying with us."  
Buffy nods "She's right. I mean come on, my ex-boyfriends can't keep coming back from the dead. I think Pan is just trying to make my life as complicated as possible, hell next it will probably be Angel back again."

"I don't think this is a game." Snow says, she then turns on them all and moves towards the other side of their camp.

Buffy frowns in confusion but follows her mother, she stops behind Snow who was standing in front of a few broken branches "Look. More scuffling." Snow tells them "Someone was definitely resisting."  
Buffy shakes her head refusing to believe it "Or something was trying to resist becoming bacon."  
Snow sighs "Buffy."  
"Look, this doesn't mean it's Neal."  
"Well, then someone was fighting for his life."

Regina moves to stand opposite Buffy "Are you really going to fall for this?"

Buffy glances back at the branches before taking a deep breath, as much as she didn't want to believe it she knew there was a possibility and if it was true she owed it to Henry to save him.  
Regina scoffs "Fine. You want to follow The evil munchkin's dirt road? Be my guest."

As Regina moves away from the group, Buffy's eyes widen "Woah woah where you off too?"  
The queen pauses and turns back to the slayer "To save our son."  
"We need to stick together."

Regina merely laughs "No, we don't. You may be prepared to risk Henry's life over some heartbroken fool's errand, but I'm not. I'm tired of waiting around." Regina glares at them all before storming off.

As she does Buffy can help but listen to the voice in her head telling her that Regina was right "She might be right." Buffy says as she turns to Snow "Pan's big with the lying and whatnot, what if this is nothing different?"

Snow merely smiles at the young blonde "Just because it seems too good to be true doesn't mean it is. Don't give up. You owe it to Henry to find out if his father's still alive, and you owe it to yourself."

* * *

As they walk through the jungle Buffy continues to try to process everything that had happened in the past few hours. First Chris' ghost or whatever was practically stalking her, and now Neal might be alive; plus a few hours ago she had been making out with Hook. Buffy rubs her forehead in frustration "God my life is complicated."

Snow glances back at Buffy "You okay."  
Buffy turns to Snow "Yeah." She says before glancing back to see how far behind the guys were. Once she that they wouldn't hear her she turns to Snow "I kissed him." She says in a lowered voice.  
Snow frowns in confusion "Who?"

"Oh this snowman we passed on the way through the jungle." Buffy mutters sarcastically "I kissed Hook."  
"Oh!" Snow says completely startled "Well...why?"  
Buffy shrugs "Um...beats me. He's good looking. We all know I have a thing for the dark and brooding thing. But I-I was...well to be honest last time anything of anything was that day with Angel. So it's been a while. Plus you know I was all hyped and giddy."  
"Did it mean anything?" Snow asks as a small smile graces her lips.  
Buffy shakes her head "It was one kiss one time. Only a kiss. A good kiss. A very very good kiss but a one-time thing."

Snow nods in understand before saying something Buffy really didn't expect "I'm sure Neal will understand."  
Buffy freezes "What do you mean? What does he have to understand?"  
Snow pauses "Well I just thought..."  
"Mary Margaret, he's likely dead and even if he wasn't..."

Snow smiles slightly trying to offer her advice even though the advice was not exactly what Buffy needed to hear "Buffy, I get what you're doing you know. You don't want to open yourself to the hope that he's alive, but you should."  
Buffy stops walking and stares at her birth mother astonished that she would even suggest such a thing "Why?"

Snow stops and turns to face her daughter "Because you deserve a happy ending, Buffy. I saw you after you lost Angel and he was the love of your life. You deserve a chance to have something good in your life. To have your happy ending. And happy endings always start with hope."

* * *

The four of them finally come to a stop outside a large cave, as they stop Buffy groans "I really need to start wearing outdoor appropriate shoes."

Snow shakes her head in amusement before gesturing to the tracks they had been following "The tracks stop here. This must be where Pan is keeping Neal."

David looks the cave up and down examining it as he tried to think of the possible threats "If the cave is some sort of prison, why aren't there any guards posted to stop us?"

"Because this prison doesn't require guards." Hook informs them all as he approaches the cave "Echo cave." He says with a heavy sigh.  
"You know it?" Snow asks intrigued.  
"All too well. I lost half my crew inside those rock walls. The only way to rescue someone from inside is to reveal a secret?"  
Buffy scoffs "Seriously, dude I got plenty to go around, I think we'll be fine."

"It's not as simple as that Slayer, it's your darkest secret. Echo cave derives its name from an old saying—'the deeper the lie, the more the truth in its echo.' The cave demands that you reveal a truth about yourself. A secret you would never admit to anyone."  
Buffy groans in annoyance "Yeah, this is stupid. I'm out."  
"Don't kill the messenger, Luv."

Buffy rolls her eyes "So even if we do spill all our dirty little secrets, that doesn't mean he's alive. Plus god knows what kind of crazy this will make me."  
"Exactly." Hook says "We don't know. We don't know how it will affect you or if Bealfire is even alive. This is what Pan wants. He wants us to rescue him."  
"Why?" David asks confused.  
"So that we reveal our secrets. He believes once we do, our secrets will destroy us."

* * *

As the four of them enter the cave a pounding pain goes through Buffy's head, she blinks a few times groaning slightly in pain. Suddenly from the corner of her eye, Buffy spots a familiar figure before she could even process this the pain in her head increased.

 _Angel steps closer to her and places a hand on her cheek "I wish..."_ _  
_ _"I know." She says quietly "Me too."_ _  
_ _"I know I can't stop you, but when you go after it, be careful. No weapon you have will kill it."_ _  
_ _Buffy looks up at him "What about the Scythe?"_ _  
_ _Angel shrugs "Maybe, but the most effective way is if you use a part of him. It can penetrate the skin."_ _  
_ _Buffy nods "I'll get him."_ _  
_ _Buffy looks behind Angel and sees the sun beginning to rise "No." She breathes beginning to panic "No. It's not enough time."_ _  
_ _"Shh." Angel soothes as Buffy begins to cry, he pulls her towards him and hugs her tightly._

Buffy's eyes snap open "What the hell?!"  
"Buffy?" David asks as the other three turn to her "You okay?"  
Buffy shakes her head "I think I just found another reason why Pan wanted us here."  
Snow frowns in confusion "What's going on?"  
"This place forces us to open up about our secrets right? Well, I think it forces my kind to do more than just that."  
Suddenly Buffy yells in agony and almost drops to the ground, however, David catches her and keeps her upright "Buffy."

 _Buffy_ _: Open your eyes, Mom. What do you think has been going on for the past two years? The fights, the weird occurrences... how many times have you washed blood out of my clothing, and you still haven't figured it out?  
_ _Joyce Summers_ _: Well, it stops now!  
_ _Buffy_ _: No, it doesn't stop! It never stops! Do-do you think I chose to be like this? Do you have any idea how lonely it is, how dangerous? I would love to be upstairs watching TV or gossiping about boys or, God, even studying! But I have to save the world, again._

"Buffy!" Snow yells as she shakes her daughter. Buffy blinks again only to wince as another wave of pain hits her

 _Angel_ _: [Angelus has just turned back into Angel] Buffy? What's going on? Where are we? I-I don't remember.  
_ _Buffy_ _: Angel?  
_ _Angel_ _: You're hurt. Oh, Buffy... God. I... I feel like I haven't seen you in months. Oh, my God, everything's so muddled. I... Oh. Oh, Buffy... What's happening?  
_ _Buffy_ _: Shh. Don't worry about it.  
_ _[kisses him]  
_ _Buffy_ _: I love you.  
_ _Angel_ _: I love you.  
_ _Buffy_ _: Close your eyes.  
_ _[kisses him again then runs him through with the sword]  
_ _Angel_ _: Buffy..._

 _:_

 _Buffy groans in pain, as she clutches her already bruised ribs, suddenly Crystal is above her and kicks Buffy in the stomach repeatedly. After what seems like forever, Crystal finally stops ,however, the next thing Buffy knows she is being floated several feet above the ground "Now, my dear sweet Buffy, you must learn your place here. You are my star but that doesn't mean you can't be punished." Suddenly a knife appears in Crystal's palm and before Buffy can stop her Crystal shoves the knife into Buffy's gut and twists it "Ahh!" Buffy screams._ _  
_ _Crystal smiles before pulling the knife back out and letting Buffy fall to the ground. "I'll send the medic. We'll get you ready for Thursday night."_ _  
_ _"I'm gonna kill you." Buffy hisses before passing out._

 _:_

 _Buffy then grabs a fist full of his hair forcing his head back, before he can do anything she brings the blade to his neck and slices his throat.  
Buffy watches as the blood spills from his wound before he crumbles to the ground._

 _Buffy drops the blade to the ground and the whole room goes silent, all she can hear is the pounding in her chest and all she can see is the blood spilling from his throat.  
Buffy stares with wide eyes, horror filling them. Her hand trembles as she realises what's she's done._

Buffy gasps a loud breath as the pain slowly starts to dissipate "Buffy what happened?" Snow asks a look of horror covering her face "Are you okay?"

Buffy takes a deep breath trying to calm her breathing, she nods quickly wiping the tears that had appeared on her cheeks "Um...let's just say I don't like this cave." Buffy stands from her place on the ground "Come on, I don't know how long till I get another episode we better get this over with."

Snow watches her daughter unconvinced but nods sadly before moving ahead with Hook and heading further into the cave.

Buffy moves to follow them when David's voice makes her pause "I'm so sorry Buffy."  
The blonde freezes and turns to face her father "Huh?"  
"For all the things that have happened to you. If we had known there is no way we would have-"  
"Stop." Buffy says raising a hand to silence him, she stares in horror as she realises he must have seen the same things she had "How?"  
David merely shrugs "I don't know. It started after I caught you."

Buffy's lip quivers and she fights to hold in tears "It's not your fault. Either of you. It's just...going through all that again...it's hard for me. There is a lot of stuff there I never wanted either of you to see. I didn't want you to feel—"  
"Guilty." He says in understanding as he steps closer to her and places two comforting hands on her shoulders "Buffy, you can tell us anything. I wish that those things hadn't happened to you. And I wish I hadn't seen it, it was supposed to be up to you when you were ready to tell us."  
Buffy smiles slightly "Thank you."

* * *

Buffy looks around the large cave as the enter what seemed to be a large clearing, as she looks around she spots a lone rock in the middle of the open clearing. On that rock was a small wooden cage, Buffy's eyes widen as she spots movement inside the cage "Buffy!" A voice screams.

Buffy instantly recognises the voice "Neal." She breaths, still having trouble believing that this was all happening.

"It must be a hundred feet across." Snow says as she realises just how far away they were from Neal's cage.

David nods in agreement and sighs, there was no bridge or anything in this cave that they could use to get to him "Even if we fashioned some sort of rope, there's nothing to attach it to. No way to swing over."

Buffy examines the room trying to look for any solution but huffs in frustration "What are we gonna do?"

"I told you what needs to be done." Hook says hesitantly "Consider this the moment of truth, literally." Hook turns to face the three forcing a smirk on his face "Now...who wants to kick things off?"

"Nada." Buffy says "I just had my past flash before my eyes. I think I've had enough truth for a lifetime. If one of you can tell the truth and sprout wings it would be greatly appreciated."  
Hook sighs "That's not how it works, Luv."  
"Then how does it work, Mate?" Buffy asks doing her best to imitate his accent.  
"I don't know the particulars." He informs her "Only what I've been told."

David looks over at Hook sceptically "Well, how do you know it'll work?"

Hook takes a deep breath and turns away from them all as he summons his courage to admit the one thing he had been denying for so long "There's only one way to find out, I suppose." Hook sighs deeply before turning back to face the three of them "I kissed Buffy."  
Buffy's eyes immediately widen, before she groans and rolls her eyes at him "Seriously?"

David on the other hand glares at Hook furious, "You did what?!"  
"David now is not the time." Snow hissed.  
Buffy sighs before turning to Hook "Hook as awkward as you have made this situation I already told Mary Margaret. So you're secret. Not really a secret. But anyway, it's was kiss. What's the big deal? How does that even qualify as your darkest secret? You're captain Hook figured you'd have some swashbuckling tale a lot darker."

Hook looks at Buffy nervously "It's what the kiss exposed. My secret is, I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my first love—of my Milah—to believe that I could find someone else. That is until I met you."

Buffy stares with wide eyes completely shocked, however before she could process anything properly the cave starts to shake violently. Buffy looks over at the rock where Neal was currently trapped in his cage, her eyes widen as a rock bridge starts to form near him closing the distance between him and the rest of them.

Once everyone had realised that it had worked David nods and moves closer to Snow causing Buffy to have to step closer to Hook who she was desperately trying to avoid looking at.  
"Uh, Mary Margaret—"  
"No, no. No." Snow rushes out "Me next. Ever since the curse broke, since we found each other, since we found Buffy...and all of that happiness, there is something I haven't wanted to admit. Our daughter is a beautiful, smart, amazing woman whom I love very much and of whom I could not be more proud. And it kills me knowing some of the things she has had to go through because of our choices. But we can't fix that. Because she's all grown up. And...she had a mother and father who loved her, who got to raise her. And as much as I wanna pretend I'm okay with that, I'm not. We missed it, David. And I am so grateful to Joyce for what she did for our daughter, that she gave her a childhood. A happy one but it was supposed to be us. What we have with her is unique, but it's not what I wanted. We were cheated out of everything—her first step, her first word, her first smile. We missed it all."

Buffy watches her birth mother sadly, as her face falls she turns to David whose expression mirrored her own.  
"What are you saying?" David asks his wife.

Snow sighs, hesitating slightly "When we get off this Island and get back to Storybrooke, I want another go at it. I wanna have another baby."

As the words leave her lips the cave shakes violently again, Buffy turns and watches as the bridge to Neal gets closer.

Buffy turns back to see her father with a terrified look on his face "Nothing in this world would make me happier." He says, as a look of heartake and despair covers every inch of his expression "And I know with all my heart that you would make...an amazing mother. But it can never happen...at least not with me."

Buffy frowns in confusion as does Mary Margaret "What do you mean?" She asks.

David looks down not wanting to speak but knowing he had to "When Hook and I went to search for the sextant, he was really taking me to find a cure."  
Buffy glances over at Hook noticing the look of guilt covering his face, which made her just that more confused.  
"A cure for what?" Snow hissed.  
"Dreamshade."  
"Oh my god." Buffy breaths.  
"The lost boys, the arrow—" Snow realises "You pushes me out of the way—"  
"I wasn't fast enough." David tells her "I was hit. Hook was able to find a cure, but it comes at a price. I can't leave Neverland. If I do, I'll die."

Before anyone could say anything else the cave rumbles again, Buffy glances over and looks at the now complete bridge which was leading a straight path to Neal.  
Buffy grabs the scythe from her side and moves towards the bridge. She pauses and glances back at the others before finally making her way towards Neal.

Buffy crouches down in front of her ex "How's it hanging?"  
Neal chuckles slightly "Not bad. But Henry—I—"  
"Don't worry." Buffy says as she cuts him off "We got a plan. Well, part of a plan."  
Neal frowns at the blonde "What's part of a plan?"  
She merely shrugs "About 12%. But it's a good 12%. So don't worry. We're gonna take care of him. But first steps first, got to break the bars."  
Buffy stands and spins the scythe in her hand before bringing it down on the cell when nothing happens Buffy frowns "What the hell?!" She mutters before swinging the scythe again.

"Buffy! Buffy!" Neal exclaims making her pause.  
Buffy glares at the cage "That's cheating." She mutters before crouching back down "That's one tough cookie." She says gesturing to the cage.  
Neal offers her a small smile "Yeah. Kinda like someone else I know." Neal pauses and looks at her seriously "You know that's not how this works."  
Buffy pouts "Yeah I know. Was just kinda hoping I could bend the rules."  
"It's okay." He tells her "You can tell me anything."

Buffy looks at him carefully, she knew what she was about to tell him was going to hurt him, it's why she had been hiding it for so long. She had never wanted to admit it to herself, let alone anyone else.

She sighs deeply before finally admitting the truth "When Mary Margaret said there was a chance that you were alive...she thought I was happy, and I know I should have been. But I wasn't. Because I was terrified of admitting something. Something I didn't even realise till you walked back into my life." Buffy pauses taking a shaky breath "When I was in New York I was there for someone else and then you walked right back into my life again. And in that instant, that moment I saw you I remembered that I had never told you I loved you when you had said it to me. Because...because deep down as much as I wanted to love you. I couldn't." Buffy blinks slightly as water fills her vision "I was broken when we first met, and you helped heal me, but before I had a chance to love you-you were gone. I met someone I loved so much. And then I lost him. I love you, I do. But not the way you love me. I couldn't love you that way, especially after what happened. It hurt me so much when you left and that anger I had was still there when you stuck back into my life... after all these years the feelings I had for you, strong feelings all came rushing back as well."  
Buffy looks away refusing to look at the expression on Neal's face, finally she turns to him "But my secret...is that I was hoping that this was a trick. I was hoping you were dead...because I didn't want to admit that I was never in love you. I did love you just not in that way. God, I wanted to but I couldn't. So I was hoping you were dead because it would be easier for me to lie to myself and put you behind me than to have to face you."

As Buffy finishes her sentence the cage starts to dissipate around Neal, instantly the moment he was free he leapt forward and wrapped his arms around Buffy, pulling her against him in a tight hug.

* * *

Buffy was the first one out of the cave, her emotions were all over the place, after reliving several of the worst moments in her life and then having to tell Neal the truth she was in an emotional overdrive and about ready to explode.  
Neal waits till everyone is out of the cave before finally speaking "Thank you."  
"Well, don't thank us yet." David tells him "We still have to save Henry."  
"We found your star map." Hook informs him "So the real question is, do you know how to get off this Island?"  
Neal nods "If we can find Henry, I can get us home."

Hook nods trying desperately to avoid making eye contact with either Buffy or Neal "Well, let's get Tinker Bell and...retrieve the boy."  
Snow and David follow Hook into the jungle, as Neal moves to follow them Buffy blocks his path "You all right?"  
Neal offers her a small smile "Yeah, I'm fine."

Buffy hesitates and looks at him nervously "I get you most probably hate me for what I said..."  
"No." He says instantly "I don't hate you. Buffy, it's okay."  
"NO. It's not. I shouldn't feel the way I do. It's selfish. I wish I could change how I feel, I wish I could change how I felt back then. But...I can't. I'm sorry."  
"Don't be." Neal tells her as he looks at her with understanding in his eyes "After everything I've put you through, you don't ever have to apologise to me about how you feel. Hey, I'm glad you told me. I have a secret, too, Buffy. I'm never gonna stop fighting for you. Never."


	59. Dark Hallow

**Many Years Ago – San Fransisco**

Buffy ducks as several bullets fly at her head, she quickly rolls across the floor towards the next hallway. She crouches in the hall, taking a quick peek to see two guards firing their guns at her again, making her quickly move behind the wall again.

Buffy takes a deep breath and glances down at the blades in her hands, she momentarily pauses as she spots the blood covering her hands, as her hands begin shaking violently she takes several deep breaths trying to calm herself.

Slowly the blonde stands and prepares herself for the fight to the death she was about to face.

Buffy steps out into the hallway and immediately throws one of the blades towards the guards, as it buries itself in one of the guard's hands causing him to drop his gun Buffy runs towards the other guard.

She grabs his arm as he aims the gun at her and twists his hand causing him to grunt in pain before dropping the gun, as it drops to the ground Buffy swings her leg around kicking him in the gut, she then raises her left leg and kicks the other guard in the back of his knee before kicking his head into the wall crushing his skull.

Buffy turns her attention back to the guard whose arm she was still holding she forces him down on his knees before stepping on his shoulder and wrapping one of her legs around his neck when he tries to grab her Buffy drives her blade into his hand before tightening her hold around his neck. The man begins gasping for breath before Buffy violently twists her leg in the other direction when she hears a loud cracking noise she climbs off the guard.

She watches as his body topples to the ground in an awkward angle, she forces herself to look away trying to shut her emotions off to avoid from breaking down in guilt. Buffy grabs both guards guns and crushes them in her hands before retrieving her blades.

She heads down the hall, pausing outside the door for a moment she tries to hear for breathing and any sense of life inside the room. When all she hears is silence she raises her leg and kicks down the solid metal door.

Immediately her eyes catch the glare of the scythe, she steps towards the cage it was currently locked inside and rips the handle off.

Finally, she reaches out a hand and takes the scythe in her hands, instantly feeling the power that runs through it.

The blonde quickly turns back towards the door as she hears more guards approaching "Here we go."

* * *

 **Neverland – Present Day**

Buffy stares at Neal completely stunned "Wait, hold up, rewind. Pan's shadow? As in the one that dances around and has all the fun, is your way off the island?"  
Neal arches a brow "First off, you still watch way more TV than you should and secondly, it's the only way off the Island."  
David frowns in confusion "I thought you learned how to navigate the stars."  
"I know how to navigate the stars. But I can't fly."  
Buffy shrugs "I can jump really high, but I guess that doesn't count. So epso facto that's the whole deal with the shadow."  
"That's why we have to capture it"

Buffy shakes her head, she was getting more confused by the minute and it was actually giving her a migraine "Wait, hold up? How exactly are we supposed to steal someone's shadow? It's not like stealing lipstick from the drugstore. Trust me that's rather straightforward."  
Snow arches an eyebrow "Excuse me?"  
"Not that I ever did that." Buffy says quickly trying to defend herself before turning back to Neal "Anyway this is insane."

"Pan's shadow is rarely with him." Hook informs the blonde "It's an entity onto itself, it can carry on his will from miles away."  
"What does that mean for us?" Charming asks curiously only to have Neal answer the question "It means we can get his shadow without having to go anywhere near, Pan. As long as we know where to look. I know where to look."

Buffy stands, grabbing the scythe as she does; twirling it in her hands "So looks like me and Mr. Know it all are on Shadow duty...never thought I would say that."

"As am I." Hook says suddenly as he steps closer towards Buffy "This trek won't be easy, you could use another veteran of the Island."  
Neal looks over at Hook gratefully "Thanks, man."  
Buffy merely groans, she knew this was going to get awkward fast.  
"Well in the meantime we'll give Tinker Bell a heads up." Charming informs them "See if she can make good on her promise to get us into Pan's camp."

Buffy nods "Alright then. Guess we meet back at The Tinkers place. Then phase two get Henry and get out here before I start having more exes come back from the dead. Or go psycho murdery."

As Buffy walks away Neal frowns in confusion "Wait what?"  
"Complicated!" Buffy calls out from over her shoulder.  
Neal glances over at Snow for some kind of explanation but both her and Charming shake their heads "Too complicated."

* * *

"Buffy. Buff—Buff-Buffy! Buffy!" Chris continues to hiss from his place in the forest.  
Buffy glances back at him with a glare, he was just out of view of the others but he was really getting on her nerves "Go away!"  
"Come on. Talk to me. Alright fine if you don't wanna answer to Buffy, how about Sarah? Emma? Jessica? Anne? Any of those making you wanna be less dismissing?"

"No. Now I don't care what type of mind game this is, whatever it is I don't care. If Pan thinks showing me a guy I knew who died, who frankly gets on my nerves more than I like, is going to make me go insane...then he picked the wrong ex. Hell show me Angelus and I'll be bat shit crazy in a minute splat."

Before Chris could say anything Snow comes over and crouches down by Buffy "Who are you talking to?" Snow asks with a frown on her face.

Buffy's eyes widen and she glances back in Chris' direction, she quickly sighs in relief as he was now gone "No one." She says as she turns back to her mother.

Snow nods before huffing in annoyance, Buffy frowns and glances back at David who currently had a crushed look on his face, with a sigh Buffy turns back to her birth mother "So, how long is this gonna go on? You know the silent treatment. A week? A month? Come on, isn't it time to bring the end of the silent treatment?"

When Snow doesn't answer Buffy frowns "Look he didn't tell you because he wanted to keep the focus on finding Henry. I get that."  
"Good to see you've inherited his tunnel vision."  
Buffy's eyes widen "Excuse me? What is that supposed to mean?"  
Snow refuses to look at her as she stands "Nothing."  
Buffy stands and watches her carefully "Yeah that is not a nothing face, that is a something face."  
Snow sighs and looks at her daughter carefully "Be careful with Hook and Neal."  
Buffy frowns in confusion "The only thing I need to be concerned with is the shadow."  
"The fact that they both have feelings for you is dangerous too. You know this Buffy. With what's happened in your past with men you know how bad this can get."  
Buffy glances back at the men in question before turning back to Snow "It doesn't matter. I don't do triangles anymore. The only thing I care about is getting my son back."

* * *

"Something tells me we won't find Pan's shadow in here, mate." Hook says he drops the lantern on the small table in the middle of Neal's old cave.

Neal nods as he continues to open boxes in search for this mysterious object "Well, we're looking for something else. It's a coconut it's cut in two one part holds a candle the other part goes on top—"  
"Your star map thingy." Buffy says cutting him off "We hid it, I'll go grab it." She says before quickly heading out of the cave.

Hook waits till Buffy was out of hearing distance before finally speaking again "I owe you thanks. For being so understanding."  
Neal closes one of the boxes pulling out an old sheet as he does, he then glances over at Hook in confusion "Understand about what?"  
Hook frowns and turns to face Neal "Buffy and me."  
Neal freezes "Buffy and you?" He asks as he steps closer.  
"Our dalliance?" Hook's eyes widen as he finally realizes that Buffy had in fact not told Neal about any of that "You don't know do you? Well, this is awkward. The two of us shared a kiss. Apologies I assumed she told you."

Neal looks away trying to hide the crushed look on his face "It probably slipped her mind. Kinda of focused on getting _our_ son back."  
Hook locks his jaw before nodding tightly "Of course."

The two watch each other, clearly, neither was happy with the situation however before anyone could say anything else Buffy walks back into the cave "Hail all, I come bearing gifts and—woah I sense tension"  
Neal glares at Hook for another moment before turning to the slayer "No tension. Couldn't be better."  
Buffy frowns unconvinced but hands Neal the star map "Here's your star thing."  
Neal takes the coconut and places it in his satchel "It's not a Star map it's what we're going to use to catch Pan's shadow."  
"A coconut? Are you daft?" Hook asks.  
"You came here on a Pirate ship through a portal, yet you draw the line on a magic coconut?"  
Hook smirks "Well fair enough. What's our next stop on this mission?"  
Neal goes silent making Buffy frown "Dark Hallow." He says finally.  
The look on Hook's face makes Buffy groan in annoyance "Great let me guess, place big with the death and violence etcetera. Sounds like home so wanna explain what it is exactly? Someone?"  
"It's exactly what is sounds like." Hook tells her "The darkest spot on the entire Island. The only light that makes it in is snuffed out by the shadows that call it home. Even I managed to avoid it."  
Buffy tilts her heads "Guess it's time to break that habit. Looks like we're off to see the Wizard. Dark Hallow it is." Buffy glances over at Neal "This is where we'll find the shadow right?"  
"Yeah." Neal tells her "It's the only way we'll ever get back to Storybrooke." He says, quickly refusing to look at the blonde he quickly heads out the cave.

* * *

"We're following the leader, the leader..." Buffy sings as she Hook and Neal make their way through the jungle.

"Buffy, what are you doing?" Neal asks as he turns to face her, effectively cutting off her singing.  
Buffy shrugs "Couldn't resist. Sorry."

Neal sighs and turns to keep moving but freezes "We're gonna have to cut through." He says gesturing to the vines and branches currently blocking their way.  
Buffy nods and reaches for the sword Hook gave her when they first came to Neverland "Here take this."  
Neal's eyes widen as he spots the blade "it's my cutlass. You found it in the cave?"

"No." Buffy tells him "Hook gave it to me. Little old fashioned for me. I like mine shiny and new—ish." She says gesturing lovingly to her scythe.  
Neal glances over at Hook "Since when are you sentimental?"  
"I thought Buffy would wish to have something to remember you by." Hook tells him.  
Neal glares at him "Thanks. She's got me now." He says angrily before slashing into the branches and heading further into the forest.

Buffy immediately turns to Hook and blocks his path "Wanna get with the explaining cap? You've got him acting like a teenager."  
Hook sighs in annoyance "I assumed he heard my secret and I also assumed you told him of our shared moment."  
Buffy arches a brow "And you assumed this because...you've got him acting like Spike when Angel showed up in Sunnydale. So not pretty."  
"I was hoping it meant something." He tells her as he looks at her his expression softening.  
Buffy pauses and looks at him carefully "What meant something was that you told us Neal was still alive. So thank you. I get you could have easily kept that bit of information to yourself."  
Hook merely shrugs "Why would I do that?"  
"Why does anyone do anything? He could have offered you a deal? I don't know I'm not Pan's therapist. Why else would he tell you?"  
"It was a test." He tells her "He wanted to see if I'd leave an old friend to die even if the old friend was vying for the same woman I am."  
Buffy hesitates "And you chose your friend?"  
"Does that surprise you?"  
Buffy shrugs "Not sure yet. I get surprised a lot by people. Haven't quite figured you out yet."

"As am I yet to figure you out, Luv." Hook suddenly steps closer to her "But I can assure you one thing, I believe in good form, so when I win your heart, Buffy. And I will win it. It will not be because of any trickery. It will be because you want me."

Buffy stares up at him becoming very aware of how close they were stood "This is not some contest Hook."  
"Isn't it?"  
"I'm not some prize to be won."  
"I know that." He says as he looks at her seriously "But you're going to have to choose Buffy. You realize that, don't you? Because neither one of us is going to give up."  
Buffy sighs "Look the only choose I'm considering with right now is getting my son back."  
"And you will."  
"Really? You think that. Cause right now I'm questioning it."  
Hook smiles at the young woman "I've yet to see you fail and when you do succeed, well that's when the fun begins."

"Guys!" Neal yells making the two separate before turning to him "I think I found it."  
Buffy glances back at Hook once more before the two of them follow Neal further into the jungle.

* * *

As they walk Buffy can't help but notice that the further they head into the Dark Hallow the more light that seems to disappear, before leaving them in near enough complete darkness except for the red that seemed to fill the hallow.

As they continue a burst of wind suddenly blows out both Hook and Buffy's candles.  
Neal sighs "The Dark Hallow."  
"So this is where the victims of Pan's shadow reside?" Hook asks as he looks around the darkened jungle.  
"Yeah. Forced to spend eternity in this darkness. Come on." He says as he continues to lead them to where they need to be "Let's be sure not to join them."

"Crows." Buffy mutters as she continues to hear the sound of cawing "Not creepy at all. All rainbows and butterflies clearly."

Finally, Neal stops in his tracks letting them know that they were in the right place "So what now?" Buffy asks "Just wait here for the shadow? What is it's in Barbados or something? Is there a coffee parlor or somewhere we could wait for it to show."  
Neal arches a brow "Buffy."  
"Sorry. Just thought we could use some humor in the jungle of despair."  
Neal shakes his head in amusement, he had honestly missed her humor.

He reaches into his bag grabbing the coconut "When he does show, we'll be prepared for him."  
"Again with the coconut." Buffy says "Now unless you are using that thing to make a fruity island drink you're gonna have to explain why we need it."

"We light the candle and the shadow's drawn to it." He tells her as he places the coconut on a large branch "He get's close enough the flame will suck it in. Put the lid on and then it's trapped inside this bad boy."

Hook arches a brow noting a very obvious problem with his plan "That sounds like a fine plan except for one thing, our lanterns went out. How the devil are we going to ignite that bloody thing?"  
Neal instantly smirks and shows Hook the lighter in his hands "Welcome to the 21st Century."  
"You know I kinda miss the 20th century." Buffy says randomly "Like beepers. iPhones and tech are just so anti-Buffy. I never had to replace my beeper five times in one year because of a broken screen."

Both men look at her oddly by the blonde merely shrugs and goes back to twirling the scythe in her hands as she keeps a look out for danger. 

A few minutes later she glances back over to notice Neal having trouble with the lighter "Do we have a light yet?" She asks.  
"Hang on." Neal says as he tries for the fifth time to light the candle.  
Hook, leans forward and tries to take the lighter from him "Here, let me help."  
"No." Neal hisses "I got it."  
"Well, I've only got one hand, and I could do better than that."  
Buffy glares at the two of them "Children!" She mutters "It's like Riley and Angel all over again. Bickering idiots."  
Neal not hearing her harsh muttering turns to Hook angrily "You know what, now is not the time to try and impress Buffy."  
"Oh, you think that's what I'm doing?" Hook asks.  
Buffy stares at him in disbelief "Seriously? You're gonna do this now?"  
"You heard her. We gonna stand here..." Hook snatches the lighter from Neal "Or we going to get the candle _lit._ "

Neal smirks as Hook struggles to light the candle "Harder than it looks huh, pal?"  
Hook glares back at him and before Buffy knew what was happening the two of them were both trying to grab the lighter from the other.

"Enough!" Buffy yells as she shoves the two of them away from each other while the lighter ends up getting thrown a few feet away "I swear if I see one more display of testosterone poisoning, I will personally put you both in the hospital. Anyone think I'm exaggerating?"  
When both men nod in agreement she releases them "Now someone light that damn candle."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Can't believe I had to use the testosterone bit again. Thought that would be a one-time thing."

Buffy glances back at the guys before grabbing the candle, just as she lifts it into her hand's something bashes into her sending her flying into a nearby tree.  
"What the hell?!" Buffy exclaims as she realizes that she was hovering above the ground, she freezes as she spots the shadow currently holding her.  
"Buffy!" Neal and Hook scream as they watch her get attacked.

Buffy manages to get the scythe between her and the shadow and before it can hurt her she drives the scythe into its chest, the shadow yells in agony before dropping Buffy, letting her fall 15 feet to the ground.

"Ow." Buffy mutters as she stands, picking up the coconut from the ground as she does "It's official... this day sucks."

Suddenly the three of them were attached by more shadows, Buffy ducks as one reaches for her only for her eyes to widen as she spots one grab Hook and drags him off the ground pinning him to a nearby tree "Hook!"

"Buffy!" She hears from behind her only to spot Neal also being pinned to a tree.

"Dammit!" Buffy hisses as she again swings the scythe at the shadow currently trying to grab ahold of her "Once was bad enough, grabby." She hisses.

Suddenly Buffy hears screaming she looks up to spot both Hook and Neal scream in agony as Pan's shadows seemed to be trying to rip their shadows from their bodies.

"Buffy!" Neal screams "Get out of here!"  
"Just go!" Hook screams.

Buffy groans "Think Buffy think." Suddenly she looks down at the coconut in her hands "What would Willow do?"

Buffy raises her hand towards the coconut and trying to summon the magic inside of her she waves her hand, her eyes widen as the candle catches alight.

She quickly stands and raises the candle sucking Pan's shadow inside. She collapses back to the ground as she shuts it "Damn he's a strong little bastard." She mutters as she keeps on iron hold on the coconut.

Buffy glances over at Hook and Neal who were both now collapsed on the ground panting heavily. Neal winces slightly before staring at Buffy in confusion "How did you do that?"

"Regina." Buffy mutters "Or WWWD, what would Willow do? But Mostly Regina."  
"She's teaching your magic."  
"Apparently."

* * *

Buffy storms ahead of Hook and Neal furious as they walk back through the jungle.

"Hey, hey I'm sorry." Neal mutters as he tries to get her attention "I screwed up."

Buffy pauses in her path and turns to him "No. You majorly screwed up. Little screw ups and major screw-ups are different! You both screwed up majorly. We almost lost our shot at the shadow because you two were fighting over some rusty old lighter."

"It wasn't the lighter we were fighting over, Luv." Hook tells her.

Buffy at this point was getting really fed up "That's it! I'm gonna tell you both one thing. One very important thing, so listen up. You want me to choose between the two of you fine. I'll do it right now. I choose none of the above. The only guy I need in my life is my son, he's the only one I have room for. So grow up and act your age. You're middle aged!"

* * *

"Hey!" Neal says as he raises the coconut and approaches Tink, Snow and Charming "Here's all the proof you need."

Buffy raises her hand "Thanks to me. These two were complete damsels. So stereotypical."  
Neal chuckles in amusement before turning his attention to the fairy "Been a long time Tink."  
"Bae?" She says astonished "Is it really you?"

"Yeah, but most people call me Neal now."  
"Well, we did it..." Hook says only to be cut off by Buffy who clears her throat "Slayer did it. Are you finally ready to do your part?"  
Buffy smiles at the fairy "Yeah, come on Tinkers. Get with the program."  
"Yes." Tink tells them "Yes I am."

She moves to lead them to her house, as everyone follows Neal calls to Buffy.  
Buffy sighs as she turns to him "Neal."  
"I—I—Listen I just wanna say that you're right. About Henry. He is all that matters. And if he's the only thing that came from us being together then I say we did alright."  
Buffy smiles "Yeah. So let's go get our son back."

Buffy smiles "Yeah. So let's go get our son back."


	60. Think Lovely Thoughts

Westbury, England

Faith walks into her apartment a look of misery covering her face, she had been in that hospital for weeks and even now the most important thing on her mind was not getting a shower but it was just grabbing some more clothes and heading back to the hospital.

She had promised Buffy that she would take care of these people and now with everything the doctors had told them about Giles, she felt helpless.  
"Dammit!" Faith exclaims as she punches a hand through her wall in fury.

"Faith?" A hesitant voice asks from behind the front door, Faith stunned raises her hand prepared for a fight however she freezes as she spots Willow and Dawn standing in her doorway.  
"Kinda wanna shower alone." Faith tells them  
Dawn sighs sadly "You shouldn't be alone. None of us should."  
Faith merely rolls her eyes "Whatever."  
Willow sighs hesitating slightly "We need to decide what we're gonna do here. What Giles would want us to do?"  
"We'll it's not like we can ask him, so who the hell cares?" Faith hissed.

Dawn's eyes widen in horror before a heartbroken look crosses her face, Faith's anger fades before she flops down on the couch "I'm sorry. I just-I can't believe he's not gonna survive this."

* * *

Neverland

Buffy walks behind the group as they walk through the jungle, following Tink towards Pan's camp, Buffy watches as David and Snow speak, seeming to have made up already.

Buffy smiles and makes her way over to Mary Margaret as David walks to the head of the group "So, looks like you two got to the making up." Buffy pauses "And I now remember you are my mother and that is actually extremely gross."  
Snow chuckles "You mean buried the hatchet?"  
Buffy nods clicking her fingers together, that had been exactly what she had meant to say "Exactly. So is it buried? Buried like me at 20?" She jokes but when Snow gives her a disapproving glare she sighs "Sorry."  
Snow shakes her head, she wasn't angry it just upset her, the idea that Buffy had in fact been in a coffin, dead. "Buried? Uh...I don't know. We've at least put it away for now."

Buffy nods processing this, "So...you're really gonna stay with him? Here? Like forever? Forever?"  
Snow stops in her tracks and turns to her daughter, a heartbroken look on her face "The thought of leaving you, Buffy, it kills me. But there's nothing we can do. If David leaves the island, he'll die."

Buffy nods and the two continue to walk "So...you're just gonna give up? Just like that? Lock up shop. Forgive me if I'm wrong but from my experience family...it means being together, all of us. Except, my crazy ass other family...cause obviously that's still a whole bunch of cans of worms."

Snow shakes her head, she couldn't think of any way out of their predicament "But there's no other way."

Buffy folds her arms and glanced at Snow "Maybe. But I've learnt in the past...there's always a way. You yourself have said it a billion times when you tried to hammer it into my brain. Maybe take your own advice. Cause I refuse to leave another family behind."  
Snow smiles slightly but before she can say anything a rustling sound nearby makes everyone pause and reach for their weapons.

Buffy pulls the Scythe off her back and steps forward, prepared for an attack, however, instead of the lost boys out steps Mr Gold and Regina.  
Buffy sighs "Damn. I was kinda hoping to get this over with already."

Regina shakes her head as she looks at the group unimpressed "Well if this is your version of a rescue party, we got here just in time."  
Snow frowns in confusion at their sudden appearance "What are you two doing here?"

"Well, same as you, except we actually have a chance." Regina says with a smirk before gesturing to the box in Mr Gold's hands "Pandora's Box."  
Buffy raises an eyebrow "Why do I feel like I'm watching an episode of Charmed?"

Everyone turns and stares at Buffy, blank looks on their faces, she shrugs "Oh come on I cannot be the only person that watched that show." Buffy rolls her eyes, crossing her arms in annoyance "Weirdos." She mutters under her breath.  
Regina merely rolls her eyes "This isn't a TV show Ms Summers. This box could trap Pan for eternity simply by opening the lid."

Neal leans over to Buffy lowering his voice "You didn't tell me my father was with her."  
"I didn't know." Buffy says simply.  
Tink turns to Neal a shocked look on her face "Wait, your father is the Dark One?"  
"Yeah." Neal says as he glares at his father "And he's not getting anywhere near Henry."

Gold looks at him sadly a look of his despair on his face "Bae."

Buffy tightens her grasp on the scythe, there was something not right about this "Neal, what are you talking about?"  
"There's a prophecy that says that Henry will be his undoing. He didn't come here to protect him. He came here to kill him."  
Buffy's eyes fill with fury "I'm getting so damn sick of Prophecies."

"That's why you didn't want to find Neal before you got Henry back?" Regina realizes as she stares at Gold "Because you knew he'd spill your secret."  
Gold glares at her "Everything I did was to protect Henry, to rescue him for Pan."

Buffy rolls her eyes "Anyone buying that cause I'm not." She says as she raises the scythe and steps closer to Gold "You and your tacky outfit took off before we even made shore."

Snow aims one of her arrows at Gold "You wanted to get to Henry first..."  
"To be on his own..." David continues as he pulls out his sword, aiming it at Gold.  
"So no one could stop you..." Hook says as he like David pulls out his sword.  
Regina turns to Gold while moving to stand with the others "So you can kill him."  
Buffy twirls the scythe in her hands "And that's not gonna happen, not unless you're gonna go through us all first."

"You're making a mistake." Gold tells the group as they all aim their weapons at him, prepared for a fight "I don't care if the boy is destined to be my undoing. I won't hurt him."  
Buffy continues to glare at him while Regina speaks "Because that sound just like you." She says sarcastically.  
Gold turns his focus to the queen "Without me, you will fail. I'm the most powerful amongst us."

Buffy scoffs while Neal merely glares at him father "That's why we can't trust you."  
"If I could give you my dagger, I would. But I can't."  
"But you can give me pandora's box. I don't have to trust you if I could stop you."

Buffy tilts her head processing this "Can't I just pumble him?"  
"Buffy." Neal hisses.

The blonde haired slayer rolls her eyes before turning back to Gold, who currently had a look of despair covering his features.  
"Son..." Gold tries, but Neal's mind was set, sensing this Gold takes a heavy sigh before placing the box in Neal's hands.

"Look at me." Neal tells him as he takes the box "You so much as lift a finger to perform magic, you're gonna spend an eternity in this box."

Buffy glances between the father and son before shrugging "Cool, so if that's all set, let's get a move on. Cause I really need a shower, soonish."

* * *

As they walk through the jungle Buffy spots Hook ahead of her, she quickly walks over to him and places a hand on his shoulder, drawing him attention.  
"We gotta talk."  
Hook sighs "I've found when a woman says that, I'm rarely in for a pleasant conversation."  
Buffy smiles slightly but quickly gets back to her main focus "As fun as that sounds I need to know something. There has to be some way, anyway, for David to leave the island."

As Hook ducks underneath a nearby branch he shakes his head "Well, there isn't."  
Buffy pauses hesitating slightly, she didn't want to bring up his brother, she understood what is was like to lose a sibling but in this case she needed to know every possibility "Look, David told me about your brother. Trust me I get that it's not easy to talk about, but—"

Hook glances back at her, all looks of amusement removed from his now blank expression "Well, then let's not shall we? The water that cured David of dreamshade has connected him to the island. If he leaves the connection is broken. The poison will kill him."

Buffy sighs trying to think of any way around that fact "What about bringing some of the water with us, wouldn't that keep him connected."  
Hook pauses in his steps and turns to face the young slayer "For a time yes. But once the water runs out the dreamshade will take his life."

Buffy's eyes widen, as the truth finally hits her, just as she begins to process this, however, Gold approaches the two "Unless there was another cure."  
Buffy turns to face Gold who was currently standing with Neal "You suddenly interested in what I have to say? Thought I wasn't to be trusted." Gold asks with a smirk on his face.

Buffy glares at him but bites her tongue to avoid saying something that would make him keep whatever he did have to himself "Big with the no on the whole trust thing. You could be a fluffy bunny and I still wouldn't trust you. But...I'm kind of limited in my options at the moment. So I'll take my chances."  
"Well if you remember, I too, was poisoned with dreamshade by a cowardly pirate. And yet..."

Buffy rolls her eyes "I'm part of this story, remember? I know what happened, you had a candle that made you go all life-like again while Cora went bye bye. Unlike you, David is not that selfish."  
Gold smirks slightly "Oh, how noble. The point is, after my near-death experience, I discovered much about the poison. I believe I could create an elixir back in my shop."

Buffy arches an eyebrow, she knew there was no way in hell Gold was doing this out of the goodness of his heart "What's the catch?"  
Gold's smirk grows even more at her words "Well, this is quite the favour. I'd expect one of equal weight in return."

Suddenly Neal steps forwards facing his father "No." He tells him "When we get back to Storybrooke, you're gonna save David because it's the right thing to do, no deals, no favours, understand?"  
Gold's face falls before he takes a heavy sigh "Fine. I'll do as you ask."

Buffy watches the father and son for a moment before taking a step towards the direction that the others had gone "I'll go tell the man in question."

However just as she is about to keep walking Tink and David appear "We're here." Tink tells the blonde "Pan's perimeter."

Buffy freezes for a second, it was finally here, the moment they had been waiting for, and she couldn't be more terrified "It's time. Tink will get with the sneaking, we'll slip in just like we planned. Let's make this quick, grab Henry and get the hell out the there." Buffy glances over at Neal "You ready with the coconut trap thingy?"  
"Locked and loaded." He tells her giving the coconut a small tap.

Before Buffy can say anything else Gold approaches Hook and takes the sword from his waist "You mind if I, uh...borrow this? You said no magic, I agreed. But I'm not walking in there with nothing but my good looks."

As Gold walks past him Hook glares at him "Now I, on the other hand—"  
Hook is cut off a David tosses him a sword "Here, in case your good looks fail you."  
"Thanks, mate."

Buffy rolls her eyes before grabbing the scythe off her back and swinging it in her palms "Let's get Henry."

* * *

Buffy watches the lost boys from her hiding place, she takes deep breaths, panicking slightly. She could feel the anger building and the rage seeping through her, all she could imagine right now was running in and causing carnage.

She takes another deep breath before she glances down at her hand, her eyes widen as she realises that her hand currently grasping the scythe was shaking.  
"Slayer?" Hook says as he spots her staring horrified at her own hand.

Buffy glances at him before rolling her shoulders, luckily she didn't have to say anything as she spots Regina raise her hand, only for a moment later all of the lost boys to collapse on the ground.  
Buffy forces her gaze away from the pirate and makes her way into the camp, her eyes search desperately for her son only to be met with disappointment.

"Where's Pan?" Neal says as he too in unable to spot either Henry or Pan.  
Buffy frowns in confusion, worry filling her "I don't know. Henry!"

David who was currently standing by a large tree trunk glances at the blonde "He's gotta be somewhere."

Buffy growls slightly and kicks a nearby tree log which had been used as a bench, everyone gasps in shock as the log goes flying across the camp before shattering into pieces as it hits a nearby tree.  
"Buffy?" Snow asks hesitantly.

Buffy grabs her hair breathing deeply trying to calm herself "Where could he be?"  
Snow approaches her daughter "Buffy, we'll find him."  
"How!"

Suddenly a young girl's scream makes them all pause "Help!"

Buffy's head shoots up, immediately she backs away from her mother and takes off in the direction the voice had come from.

Buffy freezes as she spots a young girl in a white nightgown trapped inside a wooden cage, the blonde frowns in confusion before she hesitantly approaches the young girl.  
As she crouches down in front of her the girl looks at Buffy in shock "You're an...an adult."  
Buffy offers the young girl a small smile "Seems like. My name is Buffy."  
The girl frowns "Really?"  
Buffy chuckles "Yeah. Yeah, I know. Weird. Look, sweetie, I'm looking for my son."

Before she can say anything else Buffy hears footsteps coming towards them.  
Buffy glances back to see Neal staring in astonishment at the young girl "Wendy?" He asks before a large grin covers his face.  
The young girl merely looks at him confused "Do I know you?"  
"It's Baelfire."

Buffy's eyes widen and she glances in between the two "I'm guessing some history story here."  
"Bae!" Wendy says joyfully not answering Buffy.  
Neal glances over at Buffy as he crouches down in front of Wendy "Yeah. Yeah, we do."  
Wendy merely stares at her old friend completely astonished "Can it really be you?"

Buffy watches the exchange with interest, just as Neal releases Wendy from the change Buffy spots Chris in the bushes nearby watching her intently.

Her grasp tightens on the scythe, which doesn't go un-noticed by Gold who was standing off to the side, he tilts his head in the direction that Buffy's attention had been drawn, as he spots the tall muscular brunette man stood in the bushes, slowly a smirk covers Gold's face.

Buffy tears her attention away from Chris as he back away further into the forest and out of view; she then turns back to Neal and Wendy.

"Well, I-I came back to save you." The young girl tells her old friend.  
Neal freezes, frowning in confusion at the act of kindness, he never imagined that she would have come to save him "You did that for me?"  
"Well, I couldn't bear for you to be without a family, not after you told us that your mother and father were both dead."  
Gold's attention immediately snaps away from the mysterious man in the woods and back to his son, a look of astonishment and hurt covering his face "You told her I was dead?"  
Neal shrugs slightly uncomfortable "It was easier than telling the truth—my own father abandoned me."

* * *

Buffy places a hand on her shaking knee as she sits opposite Wendy back in Pan's base.

Neal crouches down in front of the young girl treading carefully "Hey, Wendy, since you've been here have you seen my son? His name is Henry."  
"You have a son?" Wendy asks.  
"Yeah. Pan needs his heart."

Buffy takes a deep breath and stabs the scythe into the ground "Pan hasn't mentioned anything called the heart of the truest believer has he?"  
The young girl merely shakes her head "No. I'm sorry. He never mentioned anything about a heart."

"She's lying." Gold hisses from his place slightly away from the group, as everyone turns to him Gold raises his sword and moves to approach the girl but Neal immediately stands, blocking his path "Where is he?" Gold hisses.  
David grabs Gold holding him back "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What the hell are you doing?"  
"I've carried enough lies in my life to recognise their burden. She knows where Henry is."

Neal hesitates slightly before turning to his old friend "Is that true?"  
A guilty look quickly covers Wendy's face as she looks at Neal "You don't understand."

Buffy takes a deep breath, her nails digging into her thigh as she stares at the young girl astonished and furious.

"You're helping Pan?" Snow asks shocked.  
"He's keeping John and Micheal alive, only if I do as he says."  
"Trust me." Gold tells her, drawing the young girl's attention "Whatever he's promised, he will go back on his word."  
The young girl just looks at him sceptically, having no reason to believe in him "And why should I trust a man who abandoned his own son?"

Everyone stays relatively silent however after a brief pause Regina speaks up "Because your brothers did. They trusted a woman named Belle."

Snow glances at Buffy, but the blonde merely shrugs she didn't know about any of this either.

"They helped her get this box so we can defeat Pan." Regina continues, not risking to actually show the box in case Pan had his minions watching them.  
Wendy takes a heavy sigh of relief "They're okay?"  
"For now." Gold tells her "And only if we succeed."

Neal crouches back down in front of Wendy "Wendy...we will save John and Micheal, I swear to Gold. But right now, I really need your help. Please."

Wendy looks away contemplating what to do, after a brief pause she sighs "Pan told Henry that he needs his heart to save magic." Buffy's eyes widen in panic and her breathing becomes shallow as she listens "But it's a lie. He needs it to save himself."

Buffy stands, grabbing the scythe from the ground and stares at the girl "What does that mean?"

"Pan's dying. He needs the heart of the truest believer to absorb all the magic in Neverland. And once he does...he will be immortal, all powerful."

"And what happens to Henry?" Snow asks, horrified by the possible answer.

Buffy takes a deep breath and turns back to the young girl "He'll die." She stutters out "Won't he?"

Wendy looks up at the blonde haired slayer hesitantly "Yes."

* * *

"I'm gonna rip his slimy little head off then I'm gonna shove it so far up his—" Buffy continues to rant in fury as she resists from destroying everything in sight.

"Buffy!" Mary Margaret exclaims making the blonde pause "Stop! We just have to think."

"Oh, I'm thinking all right." Buffy tells her as she spins the scythe in her hands "About how I'm going to give Pan a very painful ending to his story."

Snow sighs, she didn't know what to do, Buffy was losing her control and it was clear that what Wendy had told them had pushed her over the edge.

David glances at his wife, the same worried look covering his face, he turns to Wendy hoping to find some solution "How do we stop Pan?"  
"Pan took Henry to skull rock. But you haven't got much time."  
David hesitates "Then we stay behind." Gesturing to himself and Snow "Someone needs to be here to guard the Lost Boys when they wake up."  
His words make Buffy momentarily come out of her state of fury, she didn't want to leave them behind "That's not necessary."  
"David's right." Snow tells her "You get him home. Tell him we love him."

Buffy shakes her head "No. Do it yourself. Go to deadman's peak. Gold can cure you back in Storybrooke. We just need to bring some of the water with us."

Emotion fills both of the parent's faces, immediately Snow walks over wrapping her arms around her daughter, being cautious of the large blade in her hands. Buffy doesn't hug her back at first but slowly she allows herself to, she looks over her mother's shoulder and smiles at David who takes her hand giving it a small squeeze "You—you didn't give up." Snow says happily before glancing at Gold "Thank you."

Gold merely rolls his eyes "Well apparently that's all the thanks I need these days."  
Buffy looks over at Gold "I still don't like you if that helps."  
"Very much so."

Buffy releases her mother and turns to the rest of the group.  
"Tink and I will take care of things here." Hook says "Meet you back at the 'Jolly Roger' when you find Henry."

Everyone nods, as they do Snow and David turn back to face Buffy "Promise me if your father and I don't make it back, you get him home."

For once Buffy doesn't wince at the sound of the word father, she merely shakes her head "I'm not making that promise. Sorry, I'm stubborn, just like Dawn."

Snow and David smile in amusement before moving to make their way to Deadman's peak, David plants a small kiss on his daughter's forehead before him and Snow head into the jungle.

Regina glances at Buffy "What was that you were saying about maiming?"  
Buffy smirks "And decapitation."

* * *

Buffy, Regina, Neal and Gold sit in the boat moving closer and closer to Skull Rock.  
Buffy's eyes widen as she gets a proper view of the small island "It's an actual skull." She mutters as she stares at the massive skull shaped island.

Finally, as the boat comes to a stop the four climb out and onto the island, Buffy immediately spots the tracks on the ground leading up a flight of stairs.

"They're here alright." She grabs the scythe off her back and moves towards the stairs only to be hit by an invisible wall, her body going flying causing her to flip through the air, she manages to land on her feet but rubs her forehead which was now aching "Okay. Not excepting that."

Neal shocked at seeing her land on her feet steps over to her "Are you okay?"

"I'm good." She says with a shake of her shoulders "Unless that field force thing-y is gonna give me Neverland cancer then I'm gonna be a little pissed."  
Neal turns to his father who was approaching the barrier "What was that?"

"Pan cast a protection spell." Gold tells the three of them as he glances at the line in the ground Pan had drawn.

Regina was doing the same "There has to be a way to break it." She conjures a fireball and tosses it at the barrier only for it to bounce off and head straight at Buffy and Neal, Buffy was too quick, however, she raises the scythe as the fire hits it the axe side of the weapon absorbs the flames.

Gold stares at the scythe in the slayer's hands "I would like to know where you got that tool."  
"Not for all the shoes in the world." She tells him with a pointed glare.

Gold stares at the scythe once more before turning to Regina "Try all you want, but Pan's magic is too powerful. At least for you."

The three watch in shock as Gold merely steps over the barrier without any struggle.

"Huh? What? How? Huh?" Buffy asks as she approaches the barrier again, this time more cautious.

Gold looks down at the confused blonde "The spell is designed to keep anyone who casts a shadow from entering."  
"And you don't have one." Neal realises "You were telling the truth about ripping your shadow off."  
"And Pan knows it." Gold tells his son "That's why he cast the spell he did. This isn't about keeping you out. It's about drawing me in. He knows I won't give up the chance to finish what I came here to do."

Buffy begins pacing again trying to think of a way to get through the barrier, she had to get to Henry, she couldn't lose any more of her family.

Neal stares at his father, the hard expression from earlier falling "You really did come here to save Henry."

Gold nods and gestures to Pandora's box currently in Neal's hands "I gave you my trust with that box. Now I need you to give it back."  
Neal moves to pass the box however Regina snatches it from his hands "Hey!" Neal exclaims.

Buffy sighs "Neal...shut up." She says knowing exactly what Regina was doing.  
Regina approaches Gold "You better come through, Gold. Or I'll make whatever Pan has planned for you look like child's play."  
Buffy nods in agreement "And you will find out what it's like to be on the sharp end of this weapon. Trust me it's not pretty. Understand?"

Gold chuckles in amusement at the two women before taking the box out of Regina's hands "Well, a simple good luck would've sufficed."

* * *

Buffy was staring at the axe of her scythe as they waited, when Regina comes to stand next to her she continues to stare at the reflection of the moon on the scythe.  
"So what are we supposed to do now?" Regina asks herself.

Neal who was now sat on a rock off to the side glances over at the Queen "What about the spell my father used to rip off his shadow."  
"You think if I knew how to do that, I wouldn't have done it already?"

Buffy who was still staring at the reflection speaks up "I know the spell." She says offhandedly.  
Neal and Regina stare at the blonde in complete shock "What?!" They ask in unison.

Buffy merely shrugs before turning her attention away from the scythe to look at the moon "It was in one of Willow's spell books. Trust me Regina no offence it's more than either you or I could handle." Regina glares at her insulted however before she could come up with a comeback Buffy cuts her off "But I think I know something that's not."

Regina frowns in confusion "And what is that?"  
"The moon." She says simply, hoping the Queen would catch on.  
Regina turns her attention to the full moon in the sky "The moon?"

"I may not be the smartest cookie on the planet but the moon causes our shadows right? So what if there was no moon."

Neal glances over at the blonde "You want to block out the moon? Like an eclipse? Is that even possible?"

Buffy finally tears her attention away from the sky and glances at Regina who was contemplating the idea "Maybe." Regina says "But I need help."  
Buffy smirks slightly "With magic? Who would've thought."

Regina stares at her, a look of amusement on her face "It requires a lot. I guess we're about to find out how much those lessons I gave you paid off. Follow my lead."

Buffy places the scythe in its holder before slowing raising her hands, mirroring Regina's movements.

Buffy's eyes widen as she watches her hands start to vibrate at an impossible speed, she feels the magic fill her and slowly as it does a dark shadow begins covering the moon.

* * *

 _"_ _Heroes make sacrifices all the time."_ Buffy's eyes widen as she hears Henry speak.  
"No." She breathes she glances at Regina and Neal "We don't have long." She says before speeding forwards up the stairs.

"No!" Buffy yells as she gets into the large cave as Henry rips out his own heart.  
Henry turns to her "Mum?"  
"Henry please, you can't do this." She says in a panic.

At that moment Neal and Regina run into the room both watching in horror as Henry holds his own heart in his hands "She's right Henry." Neal tells his son "Whatever Pan's telling you to do, don't do it."

Henry stares at his father in complete shock "Dad? You're alive?"  
"I am, buddy. And I need you to listen to me. Pan is lying to you."

Pan who was standing beside Henry glares at the man "Oh, a pleasure to see you too, Bealfire. Not to mention the Savior and the Evil Queen."  
Buffy glares at him "Get the hell away from my son."

Pan merely smiles at her "Oh dear sweet Slayer I think you should worry about other things. Speaking of how is Chris?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes and turns to Henry "Henry, please, you need to get away from him now. He's trying to hurt you."

Henry shakes his head refusing to believe the "No. The heart of the truest believer. It's what's gonna save magic. It's gonna save all of you."

"No, it's not." Regina tells her son "This was never about magic, Henry. You have to believe us. The only person Pan's interested in saving is himself."  
"That's not true!"  
Pan smirks before moving in front of Henry "Of course it's not."  
"Pan can't live without you dying." Neal tells him "If you give him your heart, it's gonna kill you."

Buffy looks over at Henry "Please." She begs her son "Henry I have been in your position before you have to trust us."  
Henry frowns in confusion, Buffy had never explained how she had died "What? What are you talking about?"

Pan panics and quickly tries to convince Henry that what he was doing was the right thing "Don't let them destroy your belief, Henry. Remember, every hero gets tested."

"Henry..." Buffy tries again "I have done this, I died saving the world if anyone knows when that needs to happen it's me. And this isn't one of those times."  
Henry's eyes widen at her revelation he turns to Pan, doubt filling him "Why would they lie?"  
"Because that's what adults do, Henry." Pan tells him "You know that better than anyone."

Regina looks at Henry and notices the look on his face, he didn't believe them "Henry... you have to believe us."  
Pan glares at her "Your parents don't care about Neverland, Henry. They know if you give up your heart to save it, then you'll have to stay. They're being selfish because they don't wanna lose you."

Buffy clutches the scythe in her hand, so desperate to launch it at Pan however she couldn't risk Henry, she sighs and turns to her son "Henry you have to trust us."  
"Trust!" Pan exclaims "I'm the only one who's ever been honest with you, Henry. Ask yourself this Henry how much do you know about the slayer's past, the people's she's killed. Nothing. Because she lied. I'm the only one who ever believed in you. This is your choice, not theirs." Pan glanced at the massive hourglass that was getting closer and closer to running out "You have to choose now. We're running out of time."

Henry turns back to his three parents who all had looks of love on their faces "We believe in you, Henry." Neal says.  
Buffy smiles slightly at him "Because we love you."  
"More than anything." Regina finishes.  
Henry looks at them all sadly "I love you, too. But I have to save magic. I'm sorry."

Buffy's eyes widen in panic "Noooo!" she screams as Henry shoves his heart into Pan's chest.

The three of them are quickly knocked down but a powerful green burst of energy, after a moment Buffy flips herself back up and runs towards Henry "Henry!" She yells as she finds him unconscious on the ground.


	61. Save Henry

_A/N: Hey everyone, here we go again I'm back with Occupation Saviour. I have finished season 3 of Buffy's New home and am almost finished with Part 4 of Code Name Slayer so for now, I'm going to focus on this story as well as Step into the Future, which I have almost finished the next chapter for._

 _I'm sorry I made you guys wait so long but I lost inspiration for this story for a while but hearing Jennifer Morrison sing in the musical episode somehow made me just want to get back to this story. Her amazing voice has the power of persuasion._

 _Anyway, let me know what you think.  
_

* * *

 **San Francisco – Many Years Ago**

Buffy clutches the scythe in her hands prepared for her next fight, she takes a deep breath "Here we go." She whispers to herself before kicking down the metal doors.  
She immediately spots five guards currently blocking the exit. Blocking her from her freedom.

She leaps through the air kicking the first guard in the face, she then turns and grabs the arm of the second before kicking him in the gut, she then twists his arm and spins him around crashing him face first into the wall.  
She spins the scythe in her hand and throws in towards the third guard and it buries itself in the man's spine, he instantly collapses to the ground, dead.

She grabs the guard she currently had pinned to the wall and slams his skull into the wall, so hard that blood spatters over her face.

"Ahhh!" Buffy screams as the first guard she had kicked stabs her in the leg with a sharp long blade. She drops to the ground and grasps her leg however she quickly pushes the pain to the side as she notices the first guard stand and move to approach her.  
"He was right, you are a tough bitch."

Buffy glares at him before rolling over her shoulder, kicking the guard in the face as she does. She grabs the scythe from the third guard's spine and presses her good leg against the wall using the momentum to leap upwards kicking the first guard again.

Suddenly the fourth and fifth guards grab her arms, she wraps her hands around the guards' arms and flips herself backways, once she lands on her feet she swings the scythe, she decapitates the first guard before driving the scythe into the last guard's stomach, ignoring the blood that had splattered all over her clothes she yanks the scythe out of him kicking him to the ground.

Suddenly a loud gunshot goes off and Buffy feels a burning searing agonising pain hit her right side, she instantly drops grabbing her side which was now bleeding heavily. She panics, having dropped the scythe, however, when she tries to reach for the weapon she screams in agony again as the bullet moves closer to her lung.  
Her eyes widen as the first guard moves towards her, a gun in his hands, he places his foot on her throat cutting off her oxygen "Such a pretty little thing. What a shame."  
Buffy's eyes fix on his trigger finger as he moves to take his final shot, however, suddenly he was gone.

She couldn't move due to the pain but she hears a struggle. After several agonising moments, she manages to pull herself up so she is sitting up and to her shock she spots Chris currently rolling on the ground with the guard, fighting over the gun.

Before Buffy could do anything a loud gunshot goes off and Chris drops, the guard chuckles and shoves Chris' body off him before making his way back over to Buffy.

Just as Buffy realised that this may be it, that she was likely going to die, the guard grunts in pain before collapsing. Her eyes widen in shock as she spots the large blade that had earlier been in her leg was now in the back of his skull.  
As his body hits the ground she is once against shocked as she spots a weak Chris standing over the body.  
Chris makes his way over to her slowly, he was bleeding heavily and collapsed next to her "Buffy, I'm so sorry."

* * *

 **Neverland – Present Day**

Buffy continues to shake Henry in a panic, just hoping and praying that he would wake up "Is he unconscious?"  
"Henry." Regina tries as she too shakes him "Can you hear us?"  
"He passed out as soon as his heart went into Pan." Neal points out as Regina grabs her bag and places it under Henry's head "Is he breathing."  
Buffy turns her head and spots Pan floating back down, she stands grabbing the scythe off the ground "What did you do to him?"  
"Oh, I didn't do anything, Buffy." Pan tells her "It was Henry. He offered me his heart on his own free will."  
Buffy spins the scythe in her hand "I'm so gonna enjoy ripping it back out of you."

She runs at him faster than he anticipated and swings the scythe, he ducks only to have her swings her leg out kicking him in the ribs and sending him flying across the cave.  
As he rolls on the ground Buffy raises the scythe and runs at him again, as she stands over him and swings the scythe down only for it to hit the ground as he disappears.  
"No." She hisses as she yanks the scythe back out of the ground and looks around the cave.

"Look who has a killer in her after all." Pan says from behind her, making the blonde swing around furiously. Her eyes glaze over in fury while Pan merely grins as he continues to play with Pandora's box.  
"I'm impressed really." Pan says as he strolls across the cave, grinning like a cat "Not even Rumplestiltskin had it in him."  
Buffy rolls her eyes before glaring at him "You done with your villain speech?" She asks earning a laugh from him.

Neal at the mention of his father turns to Pan "Where is he?"  
"Why, he's right in this box, safe and sound and out of the way." Pan says cheerfully as he faces Neal, stupidly turning his back on Buffy, who silently grabs the blade from her thigh. "Unfortunately for you, he can't hurt me anymore. And neither can you."

As he speaks Buffy grabs him by the throat and forces the knife into his spine making him cry out in pain "You so sure about that?"  
As she yanks the blade out of his back another burst of green energy escapes him knocking Buffy down to the ground.

Pan takes a heavy breath as he raises his right hand to see blood covering it, this wasn't good. However, suddenly a grin covers his face as he spots the blonde, just like so many before her she had snapped. Her eyes were black and she was growling like an animal.

"Looks like you have bigger problems than me now." He says to Neal before gesturing to Buffy. With a smile, he floats upwards a hand pressed to his bleeding back.

Regina finally tears her attention away from her son and turns to Buffy who had pushed herself into the corner of the room breathing heavily.  
"Something's wrong with her." Neal says as he watches Buffy's eyes switch between black and their natural green.

Buffy, who was desperately trying to fight the demon essence within her punches the wall repeatedly ignoring the blood the drips down her palm as her knuckles are torn apart.

"How is he?" Buffy asks in a hoarse voice, as she keeps herself a safe distance from her son, so scared that she would hurt him.  
"This preservation spell will buy us enough time till we can get to Pan." Regina says as she raises her hands over Henry covering him in a white glow.  
As the glow disappears Regina turns to Buffy "We need to do something about that." She says as she stands and gestures to Buffy's eyes.  
"It's the demon." Buffy says softly as she stares at her bleeding hands for a moment "This place...it brings it out."  
"Demon?" Neal asks confused but Buffy merely turns away from him and watches Henry carefully as she does her eyes soften and turn back to their natural green.

"We don't have long." Buffy tells Regina referring to the darkness within her that was threatening to break free.  
Regina nods, as much as she hated to admit it, she and Buffy were a lot alike, battling with their darkness. And right now both of them needed to embrace that darkness to save Henry.  
"He is everything to me." Regina says "He is all I have."  
Buffy sighs, "I know." Buffy says as she clutches the scythe in her palm, however as the sounds of birds and other creatures around her fill her thoughts the darkness returns and that feeling to kill.

Buffy turns to Regina her eyes darkening "We're running out of time." She hisses as she grabs the knife that she had stabbed Pan with off the ground.

Neal takes a hesitant step towards Buffy who growls slightly as he approaches her "Back off." She hisses "Kinda in a murdering mood right now."  
Neal gulps slightly before taking a deep breath "Even if we can find Pan he was powerful before. With Henry's heart, I-I don't know if we can hurt him."  
As he speaks Regina spots something dripping from the blade Buffy was holding, it was blood. Pan's blood.  
"Yes, we can. Look you stabbed him, badly. If he can bleed we can hurt him and if we can hurt him we can kill him. And we will."

* * *

"Gold is in a box?" Snow asks and immediately she panics, as she realises what this means for her husband "Then David can never leave the Island."

Buffy who was pacing away from the group glances at her birth mother before turning back to look at Henry, who was currently lying on the small bed back at Pan's compound.  
"Mary Margaret, that doesn't matter. I've already made peace with that. What matters is Henry." David tells her before turning back to Regina who was watching Buffy carefully.

"We have one more issue." Regina tells them only for Buffy's eyes to snap to her darkening slightly "No." She hisses "That's my problem. I'll deal."  
"And when you kill everyone...?" Regina points out before turning back to Henry.

David and Mary Margaret both glance at Buffy who sighs in annoyance "Look he wanted me to snap, well he got what he wanted." She hisses her eyes turning black for just a moment, both David and Mary Margaret stand there stunned as they process this while Buffy turns to Regina "How long?"

"An hour..." Regina says hesitantly "Maybe more before the preservation spell wears off."  
"If he's airborne he could be anywhere on the island." Neal says as he realises that they had no way of finding him.

Hook who had been watching Buffy intently as she continued to battle with the two halves of herself speaks "An hour isn't much time. I suggest we get started looking."

Buffy tilts her head before glancing past Hook at the lost boys, walking over she grabs Pan's right hand Felix and yanks him off the ground by his throat and chucks him across the floor "Talk!" She hisses.  
"Buffy!" Mary Margaret exclaims stunned by her daughter's actions.

Buffy ignores the call of the raven haired woman and stalks over to the boy, kicking him in the gut she watches as he flies across the floor again and crashes into a nearby tree "Where is he?" She asks again as she yanks him back off the ground and drags him across the floor before forcing him to look up at her "Gone." The eldest boy says as he coughs up blood before laughing at the blonde "There's nothing you can do. He's already won. Pan never fails."  
Regina walks over to Buffy and glares at the boy "How bout I make you talk?" She asks as she moves to remove his heart.

"Buffy stop!" David yells as he walks over and grabs Buffy's arm and drags her off while Mary Margaret attempts to stop Regina from tearing out the young boy's heart.

"Get the hell off me!" Buffy hisses as David drags her away from the group slightly out of sight.  
She pushes him away from her and spins the scythe in her grasp, the darkness inside her had burst out and the woman she was was too far gone.  
"Buffy stop!" David yells as Buffy swings the scythe at him only for him to block it with his sword.  
Buffy growls, his words unheard by her ears, and continues to swing the scythe, spinning around she swings the scythe almost decapitating her father who ducks out of the way just in time.

"Buffy!" David yells, as he watches his daughter completely lose control, he had never seen her this way and it terrified him "Buffy, this isn't you!"  
"You don't know me." Buffy hisses back as she flips over his head and kicks him in the back sending him flying backwards.

David rolls across the ground before crashing into a nearby tree, as much as it sucked in this moment he couldn't help but admire his daughter's skills with a blade. For a moment he imagined a world where she had grown up in the enchanted forest. He could see the blonde haired princess who refused to go to balls and would rather learn to use a bow and arrow and a sword in her spare time.

That moment of thought was quickly shattered as David spots a man watching them from the bushes, he turns to Buffy who was staring at the man, yelling at him to leave.  
Hesitantly David stands and approaches her daughter who was staring at the tall man.

"Go away, Chris." Buffy hisses "Don't make me hurt you." She warns as she turns away from her father and focuses on her ex. Or more accurately the imitation of her ex.  
Chris tilts his head at her, watching her carefully "This is what you are...a killer."

At his words, Buffy's eyes return to their normal green and fill with sorrow and guilt "No." She says with a shake of her head refusing to believe it.  
"You're a killer, a muderer...admit it."  
"No!" Buffy screams as she grabs the scythe and runs at Chris only to freeze as he disappears.

Buffy's body begins shaking violently and tears begin running down her face. As a hand settles on her should she flinches away turning around she spots her father standing behind her a worried look on his face.  
Buffy takes a shaky breath "I'm a murderer." She gasps "I killed Angel, I killed Chris...I killed all those people...I killed Henry. I—I..." As her body begins to shake more violently David hugs her tightly.

David holds his daughter stroking her hair, this was not supposed to be her life, she had been to hell and back and had never faltered until now.

Pulling back her pushes the hair out of her face and places his hands on her shoulder "Buffy listen to me...you are not a killer. Those people abducted you, tortured you..." David takes a deep breath struggling to get through this and admit the things that had happened to her because he and Mary Margaret had sent her to this world "You did what you had to. Just like I did when I was protecting you and Mary Margaret. And listen to me...you did not kill Henry. You can save him...you have that chance now...you have been through too much to let Pan tear you down. Don't let him turn you into something you're not. You have one of the kindest purest hearts I have ever seen and you can fight the darkness within you. I know you can."

Buffy takes a deep breath before blinking away the last of her tears "There's no time. And they're not gonna tell us where Pan is and then Henry..." She says softly, they were running out of time and it terrified her, Henry had become her life, she couldn't lose anyone else especially him, she knew it would crush her.  
David looks at her sadly before leaning back and looking at her closely "Buffy, what does every kid want?"

Buffy frowns in confusion for a second before finally, it hits her, memories of her own mother, growing up in L.A, to meeting her birth mother. Every child wants a mother; Henry had tracked her down because he wanted the same thing.  
"A mother."

* * *

David keeps a supporting hand on Buffy's shoulder as they head back to the camp where the majority of the lost boys looked scared.  
Buffy gulps slightly as she realises that she had caused that fear, she had scared those poor lonely boys all because she had let Pan and Chris get to her.  
She takes a deep breath, this wasn't who she was, wasn't who she wanted to be, not anymore.  
She nods at David who smiles at her supportively before going over to Snow, who was watching Buffy with a worried frown.

Slowly Buffy crouches down in front of the boys who all stare at her fearfully, "I'm sorry." She tells the children honestly "I know I scared you, all of you and I'm sorry." She closes her eyes trying to find the right words "I know that none of you trusts me and that's understandable you're loyal to Pan. But I promise you I won't hurt any of you. I struggle with control, yes, but that's because of Pan, he planned for me to do this, to scare you. And it worked." She says softly, this was killing her, it reminded her so much of that moment when the Slayers had turned on her, she had never understood it properly but right now she did. Although it was war, something she had been used to, they had still been kids, scared kids, and her emotionless state had scared them.

"Pan may have gotten to me but he doesn't have to continue to manipulate all of you." She pauses taking a deep breath before smiling "I lost my family when I was younger. And I thought I would never have a chance to have a family again. I was lost just like all of you, I was alone." As she speaks slowly several of the children began to calm and begin listening to her story hopeful, they too missed their families.

"I was reminded today..." Buffy says softly as she glances at her father before turning back to the kids "...that I'm not alone anymore. And that I don't have to push people away when I'm scared. I have a lot of people that love me. And I never thought that after the things that I have done that I could have that again. If that can happen to me, it can happen to you."

She stops for a moment and glanced at Felix, Pan's right hand, who was sat on a tree log across from her. She hoped that she was getting through to him like the other kids but it was clear from the look on his face he was already too far gone.

"Pan is the only family we need." Felix tells her smirking slightly.

Buffy scoffs out "Family doesn't do what he does. They don't hurt you, manipulate you, lie to you. He lied to Henry and convinced him to give up his own heart."  
One of the smaller children frowns "To save the island."  
"No." Buffy reveals "To save himself."  
"Don't listen to her." Felix tells the lost boys "She's just like the last Slayer Pan saved us from. She's evil. Pan is good, he cares about all of us."  
"No." Buffy tells them all "He doesn't."

She stands slightly and places the scythe in her hands on the ground before kicking it away from her reach "And I am not like the other girls. I care about all of you." Buffy says as she glances at the young kids trying to make them see the truth "We care about you. And we can save you. We can take you home with us to our land." As the words leave her lips she notices that several of the boys were staring with wide eyes "Don't fear me. I want to protect you from Pan, just like I wanna protect Henry. But I can't protect you if I don't find Pan. I can only stop him while he is still absorbing the power from Henry's heart."

Snow smiles slightly as she watches her daughter, she could see the redness around Buffy's eyes from where she had been crying but she could also see the truth. Buffy had finally admitted to herself wholeheartedly that she felt guilt and sorrow for her past and wanted to move on. She had accepted that the darkness is within her but she would no longer let it control her, she wouldn't let Pan control her.

As Buffy steps away from the kids, Snow turns to them "You just have to tell us where he is."

Before any of the lost boys had a chance to think however Felix stood, glaring at them all "Leave now while Pan still allows you to breathe." He warns only for Hook who was standing behind him to place his hook on the boy's shoulder forcing him to sit back down.  
"That's the only help you'll get." Felix warns as he is forced to sit back down.

Buffy tilts her head in interest, the boy had completely lost himself in Pan, taking a step towards him she glares down at him "Where...is Pan?"  
"Not...telling."

Buffy takes a deep breath, she could feel her anger rising trying to force her to snap but she swallowed the feeling. As she breathes a small reluctant voice grabs her attention "Can you really bring us home?" A little boy asks making Buffy turn to him.

"Shut your mouth!" Felix hisses but Buffy ignores him and takes a step towards the young boy crouching down in front of him "Yes. With your help."  
"His thinking tree." The boy admits only for Felix to scream.  
The elder boy next to the young one glares at Felix before turning to Buffy "Yes, his thinking tree."  
"Stop it!" Felix screams madly "All of you!"  
Buffy ignores the cries of outburst and focuses on the elder boy "Where is that?"  
"It's where he goes when he wants to be alone. You can find him there. It's not far."  
Felix desperately tries to get out of Hook's grasp "No, don't trust her."

Buffy sighs before turning back to the elder boy "Can you tell us where that is?"  
"Yeah." The younger boy answers "But you have to swear, swear that you'll take us with you."

Buffy smiles at him before holding out a hand towards him, the boy looks down at her hand before taking it. As he does Buffy lets out a small breath "I promise you. We are gonna get you home. All of you."

* * *

"The Pixie woods?" Regina asks the lost boys curiously "That's where is it?"  
Buffy frowns ' _Pixie Woods'_ she can't help but sigh, her life had gotten even weirder that it had been before, and that was saying something, as long as the Wicked Witch of the West didn't show up she could hopefully retain some semblance of sanity.

The little boy that had told them about Pan's whereabouts nods at the Evil Queen "It's just north of here. It's where the Pixie dust used to grow."  
Buffy nods before picking up the scythe off the ground, as she strokes the dust off it she glances over at Hook "You happen to know what that is?"  
Hook stops staring at the blonde for the hundredth time and nods "Aye. The whole region is deserted now. No one but Pan has set foot in those woods in centuries."  
Neal smirks "Then let's make history."

Buffy turns to him as she takes off her jacket and prepares for a fight "Stay here. Once I kick Pan's shiny douche behind to the curb it's gonna be a race back. Gonna need help on both ends."  
Neal nods at her, there was so much they still needed to discuss but from the look on her face she clearly had no interest in having that chat anytime soon "Okay."  
David crosses his arms before glancing at Neal "What do you need from us?"  
"Let's gather up the Lost Boys. Get 'em on board the Jolly Roger. Prepare the ship to fly."

As Neal speaks Hook glances over at him unimpressed "Let's hope you have a Pegasus sail. Otherwise, we're at the mercy of the trade winds."  
Buffy frowns in confusion, she really did not understand pirate speak, she shakes her head only for Neal to smirk at Hook "Pan's shadow's in here." He says gesturing to the coconut he was holding "It'll get us home, long as your ship holds together."  
Hook scoffs out "Well, as long as your plan holds together, she will."

As the men glare at each other Buffy rolls her eyes, the next few hours on a boat with the two of them and their pissing contest was going to be fun, at least with Spike and Angel they had never actually been in the same room together while they were competing...well at least they hadn't been before Sunnydale went bye-bye.  
Buffy glances over at Hook as she spots him watching her for a moment before heading towards the others.  
She sighs, yep, her life was getting really complicated.

"Henry's gonna be with me the entire time." Neal assures her drawing her attention back to him "Nothing is gonna happen to him while you two are away."

"You mean three." Snow says as she approaches the two of them "I may be trapped on this island for the rest of eternity. So if you think I'm not going to be spending my last moments with my daughter, you're crazy."  
Buffy smiles slightly, Mary Margaret, all though so different from her mom had the heart that made Joyce such a great mother and person. They both fought for what they believed in and fought for their children.  
"Okay." Buffy says with a smile "Let's do it."  
She moves to follow Snow and Regina only for David to place a hand on her arm making her pause.

Buffy frowns and turns to David who was watching her with a worried frown "Buffy be careful if Chris shows up..."  
Buffy sighs before turning to face him "Then I'll deal. He's just one of Pan's tricks, nothing more."  
"Just be careful." He tells her before kissing the top of her head.  
Buffy smiles slightly "I make no promises." She jokes before following Snow and Regina, they were going to save Henry and now.

* * *

Buffy follows Regina who was leading the way through the jungle as they headed towards Pan's thinking tree.  
As they trail through the jungle Buffy couldn't help but sense something was off, there were warning bells going off in her head like crazy.

Suddenly Regina pauses in her tracks, as she does Buffy pauses only to freeze as she spots Pandora's Box perched on a small box by the tree.  
Buffy frowns, something wasn't right here, it shouldn't be this easy, it was a trap she could feel it in her bones. Twirling the scythe in her grasp she holds out her arm stopping Regina and Snow from walking any further "Wait." She breaths "Something smells fishy in this hell land." She warns.

"Buffy's right." Regina says as the two of them notice Snow moving towards the box.  
As Buffy holds Snow back Regina continues "Pan wouldn't just have left it behind for no reason."

"It's David's only way home." Snow argues as she attempts to step forward, she moves around Buffy and steps forward only for several branches to wrap around her and pull her backwards slamming her against Pan's tree.  
"Mary Margaret!" Buffy exclaims before pushing Regina to the ground as another branch swings at them.

Buffy drops to the ground beside Regina and rolls across the floor just as another branch reaches for her. She looks up only to see more branches wrap themselves around Mary Margaret pinning her helplessly.

"Buffy!" Snow calls out as another branch reaches for her.

Buffy's eyes widen, she quickly back flips away from the branch and swings the scythe through the air cutting through the branches as they attack her.  
Buffy takes a breath only to notices branches reaching for Regina wrapping around her legs, dragging her across the floor "Regina!" Buffy yells as she tries to run forward however suddenly a hard body crashes into her sending her flying through the air before crashing to the ground.

"Are you still at it?" Pan scoffs out in disbelief as he appears from behind the tree and moves to stand next to the body that had thrown Buffy.  
Buffy coughs violently before looking up from the ground only to spot Regina now tugging helplessly at the branches along with Mary Margaret.  
She groans before she stands and turns to face Pan...and Chris "So you can hit back now?" She scoffs out unimpressed.

Pan chuckles before nodding at Chris who approaches Buffy "You know I'm disappointed Buffy, I was really hoping you'd understand your place in all this. The Slayer, the killer ecteria."  
Buffy glares at him "Bite me." She hisses before she kicks Chris in the stomach making him stumble.  
Pan chuckles in amusement "Perhaps I should have gone with a different ex. There were many to pick from."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "You're criticising me?" She asks in disbelief only to have Chris step forward and wrap a hand around her neck yanking her off the ground.

"Buffy!" Snow screams as she watches the tall man choke the life out of her daughter.

Pan tilts his head in interest before turning to look at all three women "You know you found me sooner than expected. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You're mothers. Quite tenacious about your offspring."

Buffy rolls her eyes and wraps her left leg around Chris's arm, using all her strength she twists his arm painfully and as he grasp on her loosens she throws her body to the side, placing one hand on the ground. As she forced Chris to the ground she swung her other leg to the side causing her to land on her feet gracefully.

Coughing violently for a moment she turns to Pan "You stupid son of a bit—"

Buffy is cut off as Chris wraps an arm around her throat and drags her to the ground pinning her down "God didn't realise you talked so much." Chris tells her causing Buffy to roll her eyes before heading butting him in the face.  
Pan chuckles in amusement as Buffy continues to fight with the man before continuing "Now before I was rudely interrupted...believe it or not. I understand that tenacious feeling. But if you're looking to see Henry again, I have to tell you, there's only one place you'll be reunited—in death."

"Get the hell of me, you jackass!" Buffy screams as Chris climbs on top of her, she elbows him in the stomach only for him to slam her head onto the ground before throwing her against the tree.

"Buffy!" Snow exclaims as she sees the blood dripping down Buffy's face.  
Buffy glances over at her mother before panicking as she feels the branches to begin wrapping around her middle pinning her to the tree.  
Buffy struggles but somehow the branches seemed to tighten every time she pulled at them.

Pan smirks at her attempts to free herself "Having trouble moving?" He asks as he moves over to her "Not surprised, given where you are. You see, what's hastening your demise is your regret."  
Buffy frowns in confusion "Could you vague that up anymore for me?"

"This tree is the site of a very important event for me." Pan tells them as he glances at the tree remembering the truth "I abandoned my boy here."  
Regina's eyes widened "You have a son?"  
Buffy groans in disgust, the idea that someone would procreate with him was horrifying "That's just nasty."  
Pan chuckles "Says the woman who slept with William the Bloody."  
Buffy opens her mouth to argue but he had a fair point "Touche."

Pan chuckles before nodding at Chris, Chris nods before moving over to the box and tossing it to Pan who catches it with ease.  
"Unlike all you..." Pan says "...I don't regret losing my boy. See, I have him all boxed up so I don't lose him again."

The three women all stare in shock at what he was suggesting, this couldn't possibly be true "Rumplestiltskin is your son?"  
"That he is."  
Snow shakes her head this didn't make a sense "How is that possible you're—"

"Younger than him?" Pan asks as he cuts her off before his eyes fall on the scythe that had landed by Buffy's feet, he could sense the power from it "Not really." He continues "Just like you and your daughter."

"You're a fraud." Regina hisses, "Your magic is weakened. Buffy stabbed you, you're nothing but an injured little boy. You can't hurt us let alone Rumplestiltskin."  
"You're right." Pan tells her seriously before stepping back to once again bask at the tree "But that's why I'm here. This tree will protect me until my power is restored. As will he." He says gesturing to Chris who was standing off to the side with his arms crossed.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "I killed him once, I'll gladly do it again."

"But you won't." Pan tells her as he approaches the blonde before glancing at the scythe once more. Buffy's eyes widen as she notices the way he was looking at the scythe "Don't even think about it!" She hisses furiously, first, the imp takes her son now he wants her toy, no way in hell.

"You can't blame me can you?" He jokes as he glances down at the scythe "Such a powerful weapon. You'll be dead soon enough, something like that really shouldn't be left unattended."  
Buffy growls and tries to move towards him only for the branches to tighten around all three women once more.

Pan laughs slightly "Not even with all your strength could you get to me. See, this tree attacks the regret inside anyone who comes here. And you? You got plenty. More than most."  
Buffy's eyes darken, literally flashing black for a moment as anger fills her making Pan laugh, he was pushing her buttons and enjoying every bloody moment of it.

Buffy growls slightly "My regret is not snapping your neck when I had the chance...and these shoes." She mutters as she stares at the now ruined $500 pair of shoes, god she really needed to start thinking practically when it came to her footwear.

"Well, that's not all, is it, Savior?" He whispers as he steps closer to her "No. I have had your kind here before, I have seen everything you have. How do you think I brought one of your biggest regrets here?" He says gesturing to Chris "I have your son's heart inside men, I can feel how you let him down again and again when he found out who you really are. What you are."

"Leave her alone." Snow hisses, there was no way in hell she would watch as this child tortured her daughter with lies and memories of the past.  
"Actually I'm quite enjoying this." Pan tells the Princess as he steps away from the Slayer and over to Snow "How's it feel? Knowing that you sacrificed her innocence and happiness? Knowing that if you hadn't sent her away she never would have become the Slayer, never would have had all those experiences."

Buffy scoffs and glances over at Regina, both of them were getting really damn sick of this kid.  
"I'm bored, you?" Buffy asks the Evil Queen who chuckles in amusement before nodding "Very much so."

Pan smiles before turning back to Buffy and Regina "Not enjoying yourself ladies? Don't worry it won't be long now, not with the amount the two of you have to regret."  
Buffy rolls her eyes as Regina speaks up "Yeah there's one problem with that. We don't regret anything."  
Buffy smirks over at Pan "I have killed, murdered and done horrible things. If you think Chris is my biggest regret... you're an idiot."

"You always did talk so much." Chris says with a bored tone "You deserved what happened."  
"You did this to me!" Buffy hisses "You left me to rot! So if you think I regret leaving you to die for one second then you're wrong."

Pan's eyes widen for a moment as he spots the look on Buffy and Regina's faces, neither of them felt regret for the things they had done.  
He panics for a moment and grabs the scythe off the ground only to scream in agony as it burnt his flesh.

He pulls back his hand and stares at the burning wound, he panics and looks over only to spot Regina and Buffy ripping through the branches.

"I don't regret any of it!" Regina hisses as her and Buffy approach Pan, Buffy kicking him in the face before lifting the scythe of the ground "Told you not to touch my toy."  
As Buffy grabs the scythe Regina forces her hand into Pan's chest "Because it got me, my son." She hisses as she tears out Henry's heart, letting him drop to the ground.

Chris's eyes widen he runs forward and grabs Pandora's Box only for Buffy to kick it out of his hands.  
"Goodbye, Chris...forever." She whispers before swinging the scythe, as the scythe cuts through his neck Mary Margaret gasps and looks away.  
Buffy breathes heavily and watches as slowly Chris's body disappears turning back into a shadow. Nothing more than another one of Pan's tricks.  
Slowly she shakes her head before grabbing the box off the ground "Let's go save Henry."

* * *

"Henry!" Buffy screams as she runs onto the Jolly Roger with Regina and Snow running after her.  
Buffy jumps over the metal railing landing in the middle of the ship as her eyes search madly for Henry "Where is he?"

"He's over here!" Neal calls out as he appears from the other side of the ship.  
All three women quickly run over to where Henry was currently lying on the ground still unconscious.  
Regina and Buffy quickly crouch down next to him "Hold on Henry." Regina says softly as she clutches Henry's heart in her hands.  
Buffy takes his hand and glances at Regina as the woman slowly places Henry's heart back in his chest.  
Buffy watches hopelessly for several moments "Henry." She whispers as nothing happens.

After a long moment, Buffy takes a shaky breath "No." She breaths before glancing over at Regina who had the same look on her face, what if they were too late?  
"Henry." Regina says softly "Honey!"

Suddenly Henry gasps, making both Regina and Buffy breathe a sigh of relief.  
Buffy takes a shaky breath and hugs Henry tightly, she didn't know what she would have done if she had lost him, and she could imagine that Regina was in the same mind space as her.

Henry takes a deep breath as he hugs both of his parents, he was so confused, somehow he had ended up on the Jolly Roger.

Slowly as the memories came back, as the truth is revealed about what Pan had done Henry looks at his mothers a look guilt filling his eyes "I'm sorry...I...I wanted to save Magic."  
"It's okay." Buffy breaths as she rubs his back before leaning back to look at him seriously, smiling slightly at the sight of him safe.  
"I—I wanted to be a hero." He stutters.

David who was stood beside Hook smiles "There's plenty of time for that."

Buffy chuckles in amusement before turning to face Henry "Kid, you're a hero no matter what...just no more sacrificing okay?"  
Henry smiles before hugging her once more "I promise."

Hook who was still stood beside David smiles at the young child "Welcome back, young sir. Only the best for our guest of honour, don't you think? Captain's quarters."  
"Come on." Regina tells Henry "I'll tuck you in."

* * *

Buffy stands by the edge of the ship watching the water as it moved with the current, she takes a deep breath and inhales softly letting the smell of the ocean fill her.  
"Buffy?" David says softly as he walks over to her.  
Buffy turns away from railing and faces her father who was watching her with a worried frown "Are you okay?" He asks gesturing to the dried blood on the top of her head and the brusing on her neck, it killed him seeing her like this, hurt and tired. She was so young and full of life yet there were times where she just looked drained beyond her years.

Buffy sighs, knowing that he was talking about more than just the head wound "Pan tried to use Chris against me." She tells him honestly "I did what I had to do." She takes a deep breath before smiling at him "I can't change what I did, I know that. But...I can accept it and try and be better, for Henry."  
David smiles slightly at her before squeezing her hand supportively and heading over to his wife.

As he walks off Buffy turns back to stare at the ocean letting it draw her in, honestly she had missed living near the ocean, when she had lived in L.A she had loved to go to the shore and spend hours watching the water.

"Enjoying the view, love?" Hook asks curiously as he walks over to the blonde.

Buffy glances at him for a moment before staring at the ocean once more "It's calming." She says softly, after all that had happened in the past week she needed a moment of pure calm, watching the ocean and knowing that Henry was safe was enough for that.  
"Aye." Hooks says curiously as he watches the blonde for a moment before moving to stand beside her. There was something about her that was so different, he could build an understanding of her one moment only for her to shatter it the next second by doing something so unexpected. He had seen a kindred spirit in her at first, both of them having the desire to get revenge for their loves.  
But yet unlike him, she hadn't allowed the darkness to take over she had continued to fight it, something he admired in her.  
And now here she was staring at the ocean allowing it to calm her "That is is."

Buffy smiles slightly before remembering back to when she was young "My dad...the other dad, he used to take me sailing in L.A. Not often but every once in a while, there was something so comforting about it."  
Hook smirks slightly "The ocean has that affect on people, love."  
Buffy turns to face him about to say something else however when she spots Regina exiting the Captain's quarters she heads towards her, leaving Hook alone.

* * *

Buffy watches with the others as Neal opens up Pandora's Box releasing his father from the prison.  
They all watch as a red mist rises out of the box before taking form in front of them.  
As Gold begins to appear within the mist Neal smiles happily.

Gold stands there for a moment in confusion, trying to gather his barrings, however slowly his eyes take in the surroundings, he turns only to spot his son smiling at him "Bae." He breaths.  
"Papa." Neals says happily as the two of them embrace. After a long moment, Gold pulls away "Where's Henry?"  
"He's safe. He's safe."  
Gold grins happily "I told you I wasn't gonna hurt the boy."

As the father and son bond and finally reconcile Buffy can't help but smile, she was happy for Neal, no matter what he had done he deserved to have a family.  
In that moment, however, all she can think of is her family, Dawn, Henry...and her parents.

Buffy's eyes widen for a moment before she turns to face them both "He's back." She breaths happily, this meant that Snow and David wouldn't have to stay here forever, they could all come home "That means..."  
"He can cure me." David finishes smiling.  
Snow looks over at her husband happily before turning to Buffy "We can go home...a family."

After a brief moment, Snow and David step forwards and hug Buffy tightly.  
Buffy closes her eyes for a moment, finally allowing herself to imagine the idea of having parents again, parents that loved her.

However, that short moment was cut short as something from below deck catches her ear.  
Her eyes widen and she pulls back glancing at Gold who had the exact same look on his face.

Gold glances at her nodding they both knew what was wrong, Neal, on the other hand, did not "What's wrong?"

* * *

Henry sits up in bed and gasps in shock as Pan appears in the Captain's Quarters "What? What are you doing?" He asks fearfully as Pan moves closer to him.

Pan himself was weak but that wouldn't stop him from getting what he needed, he pulls out a large blade and holds it towards Henry frightening the young boy "I wanted your heart, Henry, but your mother took it away from me and left me to die. Her mistake." He hisses as he reaches out a hand towards Henry's chest.  
However, to Pan's shock, the protection spell that Regina had placed on Henry's heart just moments ago made him unable to take Henry's heart.

"Ah!" Pan exclaims as he pulls back his now sore hand, he growls angrily, this was really testing his patience "Oh, how clever."  
Suddenly Pan grabs onto Henry's spine, attempting to rip the shadow from his body "Ow!" Henry exclaims "What are you doing?"

"Henry!" A voice exclaims from behind, Henry turns his head only to spot Gold and Buffy now standing in the doorway.

"Mom!" Henry yells as Buffy runs towards Pan and smashes the blunt end of the scythe into his head causing him to cry out before releasing Henry.  
She then kicks him in the gut sending him crashing onto the table by the wall.

Buffy glares at him before turning to Henry, she quickly steps over to him and moves the hair out of his face "Henry?!" She breaths out in a panic before hugging him.  
"You saved me." He breaths out as he clutches her.

Buffy smiles into his hair before holding him close while turning to see Gold holding out Pandora's Box towards Pan "Blood magic works both ways...father." Gold warns as he opens the box.  
Slowly the red mist spreads out towards him and as the box begins to drag him inside a look of terror suddenly covers his eyes "NO!"

Just as Pan disappears into the box a voice fills the room "Henry!" Regina yells as she runs downstairs and over to Buffy and Henry.  
Buffy turns to Regina "It's okay." She assures her as she turns back to Henry making sure he was okay.

* * *

Everyone on the ship quickly heads to the back as Buffy, Regina and Neal prepare the trap for Pan's shadow.  
Buffy waits till all the kids were clear of the canon before glancing at Neal who was holding the coconut containing the shadow right above the canon.  
Taking a breath she grasps her lighter in her hands before glancing over at Regina "Ready, Regina?"  
When Regina nods Buffy switches on the lighter and presses the flame on the string.

As the flame quickly spreads down Neal waits before finally releasing the shadow, as the shadow is released the shot from the canon hits it causing it to lose control and spin wildely through the air.  
Regina quickly raises her hands, using her magic to grab ahold of the shadow, and as it continues to try and squirm away she sends it up towards the sail pinning it there so it could not escape.

Buffy takes a releaved breath "You think it will fly?"  
Regina smirks up at the trapped shadow "It has no choice."  
Buffy laughs, "Oh thank God, I'm getting sick of fairytales. Let's get the hell out of here. I'm in the need of some serious shoe therapy."  
"As you wish, m'lady." Hook says from above before heading towards the head of the ship "Bosun, weigh anchor!"

Slowly the ship begins to rise off the sea and into the sky, Buffy's eyes widen in fascination, after everything she had seen, sometimes things could still surprise her. She was literally standing on a flying pirate ship, to say that was surprising was an understandment.

"You know..." David says as he moves to stand next to his daughter "When we first landed on this island, you said we'd all need to work together."  
Buffy shrugs "I'm not exactly one to work with the bad guy but from experience it works."  
"Well, to be honest, I didn't think it was possible." He says as he turns to look at her "That a hero, a villain, a pirate...that we could all be united, but we were because of the most important piece of the puzzle...a leader."

Buffy freezes at the word, it had been so long since that word had been used in association with her "That's not me." She breaths out "Not anymore."  
"Maybe it is." David tells her. She honestly astonished him more than anything, when Snow was pregnant he had imagined who she would be, what she would be like, and she was so much more than anything he could have possibly imagined "You say you're no leader, but the Powers choose you for a reason. People followed you, you were able to unite people that would never work together. And you're still doing that. You just need to trust yourself and after what I have seen you come up against here...yourself, your past...you're the strongest person I know."

Buffy takes a deep shaky breath and smiles at him gratefully, his words, the way he spoke it was just like how a father would speak to his daughter. Hank had never done that for her, support her no matter what.  
"Thank you."

* * *

Henry grabs some of the food off the table as he makes his way around the ship, he walks over to a large box and sits on top of it before holding out the bowl of food towards Felix who was tied to the mass next to him.  
"Go away, boy." Felix hisses not even bothering to glance at the boy "Not hungry."  
Henry tilts his head before lowering the bowl of food, he then looks at Felix seriously "But I came to thank you."  
Felix rolls his eyes before tilting his head to the side to glance at Henry "No matter what those other traitors do, I'm on Pan's side and Pan—"  
"Never fails." Henry finishes making Felix pause.  
"What?" he asks confused, he was sure that Henry had never heard Pan say that.

"You heard me." Henry says with an amused tone "Peter Pan never fails. He can't be stopped. Even when they think he's been defeated...when they think they've won, he finds a way."  
Felix tilts his head in interest something was very wrong here "So you think you're not safe?"

Henry grins mischievously "Oh, no, I'm perfectly safe. During our struggle my fait was sealed. The one who's in trouble...is Henry."  
Felix frowns in confusion "But you're Henry."  
"Not anymore."

* * *

Westbury, England

"No!" Dawn cries as she punches Xander's chest, he was refusing to let her into Giles' room in the hospital.  
Xander stood there holding Dawn's arm tightly to keep her from entering the room while allowing her to continue to punch his chest repeatedly.  
"No, no, no!" Dawn cries as tears ran down her face, she knew what had happened, they had shown up at the hospital only for the Doctors to refuse to let them see Giles.

Suddenly the sound of sobbing down the hall draws their attention, Dawn turns her head and spots Willow leaning against the wall outside of Giles' room crying heavily.  
Dawn pushes Xander away before running over to Willow as she does she freezes, Giles' room was open.

She turns her head and there lying on the bed was Giles, the heart monitor next to him was flat and he wasn't breathing. He was gone.


	62. The New Neverland

Buffy clutches onto the ship's railing as they speed through the sky towards Storybrooke. Glancing down at the lands below she lets out a breath, they were almost there, almost home. At the thought a large smile covers her face, yes, there were still so many issues she needed to deal with, mainly learning to control that darkness in her that had been awakened in Neverland, but she would figure that out as things went. Her son was safe and home, which was all she could have wished for.

Finally, they cross the barrier field surrounding Storybrooke and in that moment her small sense of relief is quickly shattered as her phone comes back to life.  
Frowning she grabs the phone only for her eyes to widen as she sees over 100 missed calls and messages from Faith and Dawn as well as several other numbers which she assumed would be her friends.

"Oh God." She breaths as she remembers that she had warned Faith that there would be a possibility of her disappearing forever. She sighs realising that Faith had no idea that they had stopped the diamond from destroying Storybrooke, Faith and the others might think that Storybrooke has been destroyed or that she was back in the Enchanted Forest.

"Buffy." Snow says happily as she moves to stand next to her daughter before staring at the fast approaching town "We're home."  
Buffy smiles at her birth mother, "I should probably let Dawn and the others know I'm not bones and dust or wearing some puffy dress in fairytale land."

Snow smiles happily at her daughter's words before nodding "Do it. Tell them to come celebrate with us. I'm sure we can find some way to let them in through the barrier. I would love to meet your sister..." Snow tells her sweetly "...and learn more about Joyce."  
Buffy lets out a grateful breath, she knew that it was difficult for Mary Margaret knowing that someone else had raised her daughter but she also knew her birth mother was so grateful to her mom for all she had done.

"I will..." Buffy tells her before hugging her tightly. After she pulls away she moves to answer her phone only to groan as the battery dies "You know I figured a pirate ship would have a charger." Buffy jokes as she tucks the dead phone into her back pocket.

Snow shakes her head in amusement before taking Buffy's arm "We'll charge it at Granny's." Snow tells her as she leads her daughter to the other side of the ship. They had just docked and everyone was slowly making their way off the ship and onto the grounds of Storybrooke.

Buffy smiles at Snow before pulling away and wrapping an arm around Henry's shoulder "Looks like we're back kiddo." She says before smiling and giving him a little push up the ramp off the ship.

Buffy smiles as she watches Leroy embrace Henry and before she can do anything Granny hugs the blonde tightly.  
Buffy smiles at the older woman who grins at her "My fellow hunter." Granny says with a smile "Kill anything good?"

Buffy chuckles in amusement, she was fond of the older woman "Later." She says sweetly before grabbing Henry's arm and pulling him to the side "How's it feel to finally be home, in the 2.0 version of SunnyD?"  
Henry smiles at her frowning slightly at her description but looks around the docks "Better than I ever imagined."

Buffy smiles before cupping his cheeks for a moment "Yeah kiddo. Come on, let's chat around a bit, but later you and I need to call Aunt Dawn. She might just kill us both if we don't let her know we're alive."  
"That's great." He says with a small frown before smiling "Aunt Dawn would most probably do that. She is a Summers after all."

Buffy smiles slightly, that had been weird, he had hesitated for a moment before speaking, almost as though he couldn't remember who she was.  
Buffy shakes her head and smiles at him before turning to all the other townspeople who were greeting her, she was just overthinking things, he had been kidnapped from his home, of course, some things would take time for him to get used to again, he was most probably just getting used to being back in Storybrooke.

As they continue to greet everyone, Buffy glances over at David, she was so worried that the dreamshade in his system would spread, but so far he was holding together well.  
"How do you feel?" Snow asks her husband.  
"Pretty good, actually." David tells her and his daughter, smiling at them both slightly as he does "I think the water must be working."

"Aye, it is." Hook tells them as he approaches "Dreamshade overtook my brother the moment we left Neverland." Hook says somberly, still hurt by the memory.  
Buffy glances over at him, although they may not always agree on a lot he could see the hurt and love in his eyes everytime he spoke of his brother. It was the same look she had seen in the mirror everytime she thought of Dawn while they had been separated.

When she catches Hook glance at her she smiles slightly at him ' _Thank you'_ She mouths to him earning a nod out of the pirate before turning back to her father.

"Gold will find a cure." Snow says happily "You'll be okay."

Buffy smiles before throwing an arm around Henry's shoulder happily, she couldn't believe that they had done it, they had defeated Pan and they hadn't had to lose anyone. Good had won.  
"You know..." She says after a moment "...coming from a place where a lot of horrible things used to happen, I was a little panicky about the whole good winning thing. But we're here."  
Buffy then smiles and glances over at Regina who was standing alone at the end of the docks, Buffy tilts her head before glancing at her mother.

Mary Margaret nods at her daughter before glancing at Regina "And we owe a lot of it to her." She says causing Regina to look up, only to be shocked as the people who once used to look at her with terror were now staring in gratefulness "Regina helped save us all."

* * *

"So what about that shadow?" David points out, as him and Buffy stand with Gold and Belle staring at the still trapped Shadow on Hook's ship.  
"Don't worry. It's trapped, just as it was in the candle." Gold informs them as the four of them begin walking "The only person that can free it is safely in here." Gold points out as he plays with Pandora's Box.

* * *

Henry glances over at Buffy and her father before slowly walking over to Felix "What do you have in mind, Peter?" Felix asks quietly, trying to make sure no-one overheard their conversation "What is someone decides to open that box, let the real boy out?"  
Pan glances over at Henry's family as they all stood together across the docks speaking "That's not the problem." Pan informs his right hand "Trust me."

Felix, following his blind faith, turns to his leader "So what now?"  
Pan turns to face him slowly letting the facade of Henry slip back into place "You need to be punished."  
When Felix frowns in confusion Pan glances over at Henry's family, "Hey, mom, dad?"

As Buffy, Regina and Neal, as well as the others all turn to face him Pan continues trying to play up the fear in his voice as much as he could "What about Felix?" He asks making the fear seem so effortless "He's still free."

"What are you doing?" Felix asks in a lowered tone, he couldn't understand Pan's play.  
"They need to trust me." Pan hisses back before turning back to Henry's family members as they approach.

Buffy crosses her arms as she glances at Felix, she sighs seeing the black eye she had given him. It made him look that much younger and while one part of her felt mass amounts of guilt, that darker side that had been forced to awaken was shouting at her to finish him.

"Henry's right." Regina says as she moves to stand in front of Felix "Can't just let Felix walk away freely."  
"Oh don't worry." David says "We got plenty of cell space for this guy." He then takes Felix by the arm and pulls him away from the group.

Buffy glances over at Henry who was staring over at Felix fearfully, "Hey..." She says drawing his attention "Don't worry, we are not gonna let anything happen to you."

* * *

"Once I seal the box in here..." Gold tells them as he crouches down on the ground in front of him as they all stood in the backroom of the pawnshop.  
Slowly he places Pandora's Box inside the small magical safe in the ground before locking it with blood magic "No one can break the spell but me."  
"And you're not gonna do that?" Henry asks as he stands with Buffy watching Gold lock up the box.

"Believe me..." Gold tells him as he finishes the spell causing the safe to disappear from view "...I want Pan trapped just as much as you."

Buffy takes a deep breath "I still wanna pumble him but this will do." She jokes before looking at her son seriously "Henry, no matter what, we will keep you safe."  
Regina nods in agreement with the blonde "We won't let anything happen to you again, I promise."

Slowly Gold stands before turning to the rest of the group "They are right. You needn't worry. As long as I'm alive. That boy will never see the light of day."

* * *

Buffy smirks as she hides the storybook behind her back before walking towards Henry who was sat at their usual booth in Granny's.

As the party continues and people continue to clink their drinks together Buffy sits opposite her son and places the book on the table "Here you go Watcher Jr."

Buffy smiles waiting for his excited reaction only to frown when he merely stares at the book "Your enthusiasm is overwhelming." She jokes before tapping the book "Dude come one, where's my normal Watcher Jr excited book eyes kid?" She asks with a smirk before shaking her head "Neal still had it in his room. We thought you'd want it." When he still doesn't respond she chuckles "Oh I get it, you're too cool for the book now huh? Well, you're still not touching the Watcher's Journals."

Henry sits there awkwardly making Buffy frown, something was defiantly off with him today, she understood that everything that had happened would take a toll on him...but that shouldn't drastically change his personality and excitement over books.

Slowly he smiles at her a little unsure "Right." He breaths "Thanks." He says before opening the book.  
Buffy frowns "You okay?"  
"Yeah. Why?"  
Buffy shakes her head before watching as he went back to looking at the book, frowning to herself she sits there in confusion, something was wrong here she just couldn't put her finger on it.

She sighs before glancing around the room, as she does she spots Hook watching her from the bar, glancing at him for a moment she quickly looks away and stands, she needed some air. She quickly heads to the back room where her phone was charging, hopefully, it was almost done, then she could call Dawn.

* * *

Hook watches Buffy escape to the back room for a moment before sighing as he spots Neal making his way towards him.  
"I don't think they serve rum at Granny's." Neal jokes as he takes a seat beside the pirate who turns in his seat to face his beer again.  
Hook rolls his eyes at the Slayer's ex' words, "Don't worry. I'm not here to pursue the Lady Slayer." He says before grabbing his beer and taking a large drink from the glass.

Neal smiles slightly, he had seen Hook watching Buffy and had caught her looking back at him too, and it didn't sit right with him "Yeah." He says with a chuckle of disbelief "You're just here to throw back a few with the dwarfs."

Hook ignores the comment and places his beer back on the counter before speaking "I've made a decision when it comes to Buffy..." Hook pauses, he cared very much for Buffy and wanted to fight for her and he would but he also understood that she lost the love of her life not long ago. Pushing her would just make her fight against him more, so he would try a different strategy, give her the time she needed, he cared enough about her to let her make her own choices. And if one day that was him than he could wait.  
"I'm gonna back off." Hook reveals.  
Neal's eyes widen "Back off?"  
Hook nods "For the sake of the boy." He says, not only was Buffy still dealing with her loss but she was so focused on protecting Henry right now, that needed to be the priority "That and she needs time given what happened to her love."

When Neal frowns Hook realises that he might not be aware of what had happened to Angel, sighing he continues "Who knows..." He says hating the idea of it but for the sake of Henry letting Neal try to make his family whole would be the right thing to do...Hook sighs, he hated that this woman made him want to do the right thing "...maybe without a devilishly handsome pirate standing in the way, the boy's parents may have a fair shot."

Neal frowns in confusion, Hook was willing to step back in following the only woman he had been interested in since losing Milah "You're serious?"  
"Yeah." Hook tells him before smirking "I am Devilishly Handsome."  
"Thanks, man." Neal says before taking a drink.

Hook shakes his head "Oh don't thank me yet. You see, I'm in this for the long haul. You've already walked out on Buffy once. And now that she has lost her true love, she's not exactly going to be very open. I'm not so sure she'll let you back in. Are you?"  
Neal stays silent for a moment before frowning "What do you know about him?" Neal asks curiously.  
Hook shakes his head, knowing that Neal was trying to get details about Angel "Not my story to tell, mate."

* * *

After realising that her charger hadn't been working Buffy had borrowed one of Leroy's portable ones and was now standing by the kitchen watching the battery line impatiently as she waited for her phone to switch back on so she could listen to her messages and call Dawn.

"How's he doing?" Neal asks her as he walks over to her, drawing her attention away from her phone.  
Buffy places the phone down and shrugs "Not too clear on the scale yet." She tells him "Hoping to get the results soon." She sighs before glancing over at Henry who was still reading the storybook, "Just hope he doesn't take after his aunt." She says praying that he didn't start screaming for everyone to leave the room.

Neal nods at her before looking at her seriously "So, uh, Buffy, can we..." He stutters nervously trying to figure out how to ask her "...make some time to talk?"

Buffy frowns in confusion "Huh? Talk, but we are talking. Right? This here, conversation accounts as talking. Unless one of us is speaking Latin I think this counts."  
Neal smiles and glances back at Henry for a moment before focusing on her "Yeah, I-I thought maybe just the two of us."

Buffy freezes at that, he was trying to ask her out. She panics slightly, she had made her feelings very clear in Neverland, she had told him that she saw him as a friend, as family but that she wasn't in love with him. And even if she was, he had hurt her too much for there to ever be some sort of romantic future there. She couldn't trust him.  
And...then there was Angel, it had only been a few months since their short reunion, and it still hurt every moment thinking about what they could have had.

"You're asking me out? Like on a date? Date-date?" She asks hoping he would deny it.  
Neal smiles nervously "You know when you put it like that—"  
"Neal..." Buffy says with a sigh "No." She tells him apologetically "Look I lost someone, Angel, he was the man I loved..."  
"I know." He tells her softly "But...just to talk about things...look...Henry's back...he's safe. We all are."

Buffy shakes her head "You're my friend Neal and the father of my son, so I will always love you because of that...but I can't. Look I'm..." Buffy groans hating that this description had stuck "I'm cookie dough and the man that was supposed to enjoy cookie me is gone. So I'm stuck as dough...and I need to stay that way till I'm ready to start baking again."

Neal frowns in confusion, the metaphor of choice was weird as hell but from the hurt look on Buffy's face, he could tell it was important to her past with Angel. But he wouldn't give up, he still loved her and he wanted to prove to her that she could find love again "Alright how about...just a catch-up chat... the last one involved you punching me and threatening to leave me in a demon bar so..." When Buffy still shakes her head Neal raises his hands before she could say no again "Look tomorrow, I'm gonna be hungry around lunchtime. And so I'm gonna come here, I'm gonna sit in that booth, and you're welcome to join me. And if not...I'll quit buggin' you."

Buffy sighs as he walks away, the idea of being a nun was becoming more appealing by the second, but she knew she would miss sex way too much for it to stick. Damn it.

Groaning as she hears her parents approaching her Buffy turns to face her mother and father and frowns at the hopeful look on Snow's face "No." Buffy tells her adamantly.  
"What?" Snow argues trying to act clueless.  
"No." Buffy says again "You have that hopeful look, that my mom used to get when she saw my SAT scores. So stop it." Buffy shakes her head "You and your hope and romantic eyes out."

Snow smiles slightly before shaking her head in amusement, Buffy could be stubborn just like David, like father like daughter "Buffy..."  
"No." Buffy tells her "I'm not going on a date with Neal. Don't you say that I owe it to him and use that fairytale ending eye thing that you do..."  
"No eye thing." Snow promises but before Buffy could sigh in relief she continues "But you owe it to yourself."

Buffy sighs before looking over at David, she could see in his eyes that he was on her side and not her mother's. It was understandable, he had seen her visions, had seen the epic love that she and Angel had shared.

"Mary Margaret." David pipes in trying to get his wife's attention "This is Buffy's decision."

Buffy nods and smiles at her father before turning to her mother "And my decision right now...is Henry and only him. I had my epic love story. And it's sad but...I wouldn't give it up for the world. So right now and for the future all I want to focus on is controlling this darkness inside me and more importantly protecting Henry...after everything he has been through, protecting him in my concern."

When Snow opens her mouth to speak Buffy's eyes widen as finally, her phone comes to life, "I need to..." She says gesturing to her phone.  
When David nods she smiles gratefully before quickly making her way to the back room.

As she walks off Snow sighs, while David smiles "Now who does she remind me of?" He asks remembering to the time after their wedding when Snow's main focus hadn't been their marriage but protecting their people.  
Mary Margaret smiles before sighing sadly "I just don't want to believe that her epic love story with Angel was it for her."

"It won't be." David assures her "But...it's her life. I saw parts of her life Mary Margaret, she needs this. Buffy knows what's best for her. Trust her. She's smart. Just like you."

Snow smiles slightly "You two are gonna team up against me all the time aren't you?" She jokes as she turns and leans into his arms "Stubborn. Like father, like daughter. You know I always knew she'd be a daddy's girl. I just thought that I would have been able to convince her to be on my side all the time."

* * *

 _"_ _Buffy, Giles is out of surgery he's okay. But they say they don't know how long it will be...goddamit I don't even know if you're getting these messages, call me please.- END OF MESSAGE."_

Buffy sighs as she ends the sixth message from Dawn, so far nothing too bad had occurred but she was still barely into the hoard of messages. Slowly she heads through the back hallway only to crash right into Regina who was coming out of the bathroom.

"Crap." Buffy mutters before looking over at the mayor apologetically "Sorry, Regina."  
"It's fine." Regina says with a small chuckle before moving to go around the blonde.

Buffy pauses for a second before speaking "Thank you." She says causing the ex-evil queen to turn to her.  
Regina frowns in confusion, Buffy and the others had already thanked her once "I've already told you Miss Summers..."  
"It's not for that." Buffy says interrupting her, Buffy takes a deep breath trying to figure out how to phrase this "Thank you for what you did for me."

When Regina frowns Buffy smiles "For teaching...well attempting to teach me magic and..." Buffy takes a deep breath "For helping me with my control."  
Regina opens her mouth in shock, she hadn't expected Buffy to speak about this, let alone so openly.

Before the mayor could say anything else though Buffy continues "If it wasn't for you I think there is a big possibility that I could have lost control...completely and turned into the monster Pan was trying to turn me into."  
"Buffy." Regina says softly, she understood what Buffy had been going through on the island, she herself dealt with that constant struggle every day.  
"You're welcome." Regina tells her honestly after a long pause before smiling at her.

Buffy smiles back before tucking her phone into her back pocket as she moves to walk beside Regina back into the diner "Seriously thanks if it wasn't for you I most probably would have gone all...Darth Vader."

Regina chuckles at the reference knowing immediately who had put that in her head "Henry?"  
"Oh yeah." Buffy says as she exhales a large breath "Our son is a nerd. Seriously it's like he is Xander Jr. It's creepy. You should have seen the two of them in England."

Regina laughs imagining an adult version of Henry as the blonde Slayer described Xander.

After a moment Buffy pauses and looks over at Regina "So...friends?" When Regina frowns Buffy smiles "As much as the two of us can be."  
Regina smiles slightly, the idea of having a friend, one that actually understood the struggle to fight the darkness inside all for the love of their child was something that she needed.  
"I think we can try."

Buffy smiles nodding at her "Good." She says before looking over at the clock, it was getting late and she should probably get Henry home and to bed.

Stepping over to her son she smiles down at him "Kiddo, come on. Bedtime."  
Regina who was still stood beside the blonde nods in agreement "It's getting late Henry."

Henry sighs before closing the storybook hesitantly before standing and moving towards Regina to say goodnight.  
Regina sighs sadly and cups Henry's chin for a brief second "It's gonna be hard to let you out of my sight."  
Henry pauses for a moment "Maybe you don't have to." He says causing both women to frown in confusion "Maybe I could stay with you tonight."

Buffy frowns in confusion for a second, shocked, it hurt slightly but she needed to remember that after what had happened he most probably wanted to go to his old room, wanted his old bed. Somewhere where he felt safe, but yet it still stung.

Regina glances over at Buffy, who nods at her, although it did hurt the blonde, it might be a good idea for her to have the night alone, she needed to make sure she was safe to be around and that she had complete control over the darkness within her.

Regina smiles at Buffy gratefully before turning to Henry joyfully "Of course."  
"Just call me tomorrow." Buffy tells Henry "When you want me to come pick you up."  
Regina smiles and turns to Henry "Come on Henry, let's go home."

"Wait." Buffy says grabbing Henry's attention, she crouches down in front of him for a moment looking at her seriously "Henry, I forgot to tell you, Giles...he got out of surgery. From the messages, I've listened to so far...he's okay. I promise we will go see him soon, okay."

Instead of looking relieved or happy like she would expect him to Henry merely stands there emotionless before nodding and grabbing his jacket "That's great mom." He says flatly.

As Henry heads to the door Regina glances at Buffy "Take the night." Regina tells her "What Pan did to you, forcing you to relive your darkest moments, it's gonna take some time to recover from."

Buffy smiles at the other woman gratefully, Regina was right, yet there was still something about the whole situation that felt off, Henry had really liked Giles, hell in those few hours where they had been in the hospital room it had taken everything she had just to get the two to separate.

"Just keep an eye on him." Buffy asks her "He may not act like it now but Henry and Giles really bonded. Make sure he's okay."

Regina nods before she headed out with Henry, as the door closes behind them Buffy takes a deep breath.

"It's okay." A voice says from behind her, Buffy glances over her shoulder to see her mother approaching her "Probably just wants to spend his first night back in his old room." Snow assures her.

Buffy nods, "Yeah." She agrees before shrugging "Plus probably better, I wanna make sure I'm safe to be around."

* * *

After trying to find out the location of her vault from Regina and failing miserably Pan watches as she sits down on Henry's bad and looks at him with a worried gaze, which really made him want to roll his eyes.

"Magic isn't the answer." She tells him as she closes the storybook and looks at him seriously "My vault is sealed shut for a reason. It's dangerous. I'll protect you, no matter what." She smiles at him sweetly before tapping his chin.  
When he grins back she picks up the book placing it on his nightstand before standing to pull back to covers so that he could get into bed.

"Now...it's time for you to go to bed."  
As Henry climbs into the bed she tucks him in before kissing his forehead, gazing down at him for a moment she smiles happily "Goodnight." She says sweetly before heading out the room.

Pan waits for a moment listening to her as she headed down the door before he climbed out of the bed. Pushing the covers off him he walked over to the window that overlooked the whole of Storybrooke and opened the window leaning into the frame as he stared at the Clocktower "She's wrong." He whispers to himself "Magic is the answer. It's time."

He smirks before closing his eyes summoning the shadow from its trap, releasing it, it was time that his plan began but he needed a distraction. The shadow would work perfectly.

* * *

 _"_ _Dammit, B, I swear if you went off to fairytale world to prance around in damn dresses without letting us know I am gonna find someway to kick your newly princess ass. Just call me."_

Buffy chuckles as she listens to the voicemail from Faith the next morning while she was doing her workout in the garden.

David and Snow had headed out to Granny's a couple hours ago so after a restless night of sleep Buffy had decided to do some training.  
At the thought a wave of sadness hit her slightly, she missed her workouts with Giles, he had always been the best teacher.

Pulling out her headphones she takes a deep breath as that sadness slowly starts to morph to anger, what if he wasn't okay? What if the Powers That Be took another parental figure away from her? It made her furious to think that they could do something like that on a whim.  
But then again that's what they did.

She shakes her head angrily, she hated this hated the worrying, hated the powers for all the innocent people they were taking away.

Suddenly that anger builds and her hand somehow ends up buried inside a large oak tree.  
Buffy growls but before she had the chance to rip her hand from the tree a white glow comes from her hand and the tree explodes around her shattering into a thousand pieces.

Buffy gasps and backs away from the now destroyed tree, she was so confused however as she glances down at her hands all was made clear. Her hands were glowing a bright white. Magic. She was using her magic without even realising it.

Taking a deep panicky breath she runs her hands through her hair trying to calm, ever since the darkness inside her had been awoken controlling her emotions had been so difficult, anything could set her off. And that scared her more than anything.

Shaking her hands she takes several deep breaths trying to calm herself, slowly as she breathes the white glow surrounding her hands calms before finally her hands were back to normal.

Sighing in relief Buffy grabs her phone intent of calling Willow, she needed help with this. She didn't know a lot about magic and according to Gold she was going to be very powerful, with her emotions out of wack she wanted as much help as she could get. And Willow was one of the few people she knew who could probably help her.

However, as she opens up her phone it's then Buffy realises something, she didn't have Willow's number. She knew Willow had her's but she hadn't gotten the redhead's while she had been at the hospital.

Buffy briefly considers calling Faith, however, she wanted to get through these messages first, she didn't want to be unprepared about the situation with Giles before she spoke to them. She would just have to work on the control herself.

* * *

At Granny's David and Snow were having lunch, as they eat David glances over at his wife "I never thought Granny's lasagna could taste so good."  
Snow chuckles however her laughter was cut short as a small bottle was placed in the middle of their table.  
"Perhaps..." Gold says as he interrupts the couple by placing the elixir in the middle of their table drawing their attention "...you'd like to wash it down with this."

Snow's eyes widen and she turns to Gold a look of hope in her eyes "Is that..."  
"Yeah." Gold confirms knowing she meant the cure for David's dreamshade "An elixir. This will cure your dreamshade poisoning once and for all."

David frowns, he was shocked he had figured Gold would have taken at least a few days to create a cure, not 12 hours "You really found a cure? Already?"  
Gold grins "I am a man of my word."  
"And I owe you...nothing?" David asks sceptically, despite what Gold had said in the Enchanted Forest he still didn't trust that he would just help him for nothing in return "No price of magic...no—"

"On the house." Gold confirms cutting off the prince "But we are family now." He says, making David shake his head there was always a catch with him, even when there wasn't one "So I'm sure should I ever need a favour...you'd be more than receptive."

David watches him for a moment before smiling "Thank you." He says as Gold nods before walking over to Belle who was sat at the counter.

Snow stares at David "What are you waiting for, drink it."  
Instantly David grabs it and downs the liquid.  
As it goes down his throat he slowly feels the injury heal completely and the effect of the dreamshade leave his body. It had worked.

"How'd you feel?" Snow asks.

David stays silent for a moment breathing heavily as he runs a hand over the place where his injury had once been, once he was positive it had worked he leans forwards and kisses his wife sweetly on the lips.

After a long moment, he pulls away and Snow grins at him "What are you thinking?"  
David grins right back, arching his eyebrows slightly "Well, I'm thinking, maybe we can finally..." He looks around before lowering his voice "Start on that baby?"

At his words, Snow's face falls and she pulls away from him, refusing to catch his eye, making him frown, all she had wanted was to have another child now she looked as though that was the last thing on the planet she could possibly want.

"Okay, I didn't mean right now." He says as he tries to fix whatever he had done.  
Snow sighs before looking up at him "Buffy didn't listen to me."  
David frowns before glancing over his shoulder only to spot Neal sitting alone in the booth at the end of the row.

David sighs as he turns back to Snow, although he understood where she was coming from in this situation, he and Buffy had grown closer in Neverland and after he had seen some of her memories he now had a greater understanding regarding the way she acted about relationships. In her mind Angel was her epic love story, not Neal, she hadn't loved Neal in that way and she still didn't. So why go back when she should be moving forward.

"Snow..." David says with a sigh but she quickly cut him off "What did you see?" She asks him desperately "To make you understand how she feels, better than I do?"  
David takes a deep breath "Snow neither of us can understand what she feels. We didn't lose our soulmate. We've not had to face what happens after your love story comes to an end."

Snow takes a deep breath, she hated that her daughter had suffered and hated more that she didn't seem to understand how to help. Her advice clearly hadn't worked because she didn't understand the situation. How could she give advice on a situation that she had never had to experience? But still, shouldn't Henry have the chance of a family "But he is the father of her child."

"Angel was her true love." David argues "Yes, Neal gave her Henry but that doesn't mean they are meant to be together. This isn't about Henry, it's about Buffy. And what's best for her."  
David squeezes his wife's hand for a second before moving to stand "I'll speak to her."

* * *

 _"_ _Giles is still holding up together...well as good as anyone in a coma can."_ Dawn says in Buffy's next message from the gang _"I swear he's dreaming about books or something, you remember when he used to talk about certain volumes and drool a bit, well he's been drooling it's gross. Anyway, I hope you and my nephew are okay...I can lose you too...so just call me or text me...let me know you're okay. And if your back in the Enchanted Forest then send a bird or whatever it is princesses do...just let me know you're alive." – END OF MESSAGE, NEXT MESSAGE FROM..._

Buffy sighs and shuts her phone as she sits on the beach glancing over at the shore, she takes a deep breath before glancing at her phone again, she had gotten through the majority of the messages, she should really call Dawn and the others...yet something was making her pause.

She was scared, after what had happened in Neverland, she was scared that that darkness within her would escape again and threaten the people she loved. The people she had just gotten back. She just...she needed more time before she spoke to them.

"Isn't Granny's that way?" A voice says from behind her.  
Buffy frowns and turns only to spot her father standing not far from her, she sighs before turning to look away "Did Neal send you? I already..."

"I know." David tells her as he moves towards her "And he has no idea I'm here. But when I saw him sitting at a table alone, I wanted to make sure you were okay." He says before taking a seat beside her "I half expected you to show up turn him down again and then leave."

Buffy smiles slightly at that before glancing at him and turning on the next message for him to hear.

 _"_ _Buffy come on, Giles could wake up from his coma any day and we still haven't heard from you. Just let us know you are alive."_

"Ah." David says as he glances at her "That's what this is about. Your sister and your friends."

Buffy takes a deep breath and looks up at the sky for a moment before glancing over at him "I forgot that Neal asked me to meet him. Which is horrible and cruel but...I still haven't called her."  
David frowns, he could understand her not wanting to deal with Neal right now, she was still mourning over Angel and her main focus was her family, but what he couldn't understand was her being unable to call her sister "What's the issue?"  
"It's nothing.  
"Buffy..."  
Buffy groans and tries to change the subject "Something's wrong with Henry. I mentioned that Giles got through surgery and the first time Henry found out before...he was ecstatic. He barely even shrugged when I told him yesterday. Plus he barely recognised his storybook last night."  
"He went through a lot in Neverland." David points out.

Buffy groans and drops her head into her arms "I know...I just...what if he's scared of me. Like those kids."  
David's eyes widen, that's why she wouldn't call her family, she was worried that they would be scared of her just like how she thought Henry was.

David looks at his daughter sadly "Buffy, what happened there was Pan. He thought he could control you, but no one can control you but you. Remember that. No matter what Henry and your friends love you."

Buffy sighs and turns to face him, looking at him seriously for a moment "I just can't help the feeling like something bad is still gonna happen. My spidey sense is all over the place. And I need to do everything I can to stop it."

David sighs sadly, he hated this, hated that she felt this way, hated that on some level she feared herself "Buffy you can't think like that."  
"Why not?" She asks, "Bad things do keep happening. Bad things have always happened to me and the people I love. It's like I'm cursed. Like oh, Buffy might be happy better take it away."

David shakes his head, he wanted to make her believe that her life wasn't doomed that she could have a good life, and a happy one "Buffy good things happen to you. Look at this year, you got to say goodbye to the man you loved, you reconnected with your sister. How are those not good things? But if you keep thinking like that you miss out. There's more to life than just looking for the next fight. You know, you gotta look for the moments."

Buffy arches a brow at that, "Moments?" She asks sarcastically  
"Yes. Life is made up of moments—good ones, bad ones, but they're all worth living."  
Buffy sighs and looks away from him for a moment "I don't know. Being who I am, Slayer's don't really get those good moments."  
"Then all the more reason to look for those moments in between the bad ones."  
Buffy arches a brow as she considers what he was telling her "And you think having lunch with Neal is a good moment?"

David shocks her but shaking his head "No. I actually disagree with Snow on this. You were right. How you see Neal is not the way he sees you. So, in all honesty, I think your moment is finally listening to that last message and then calling your sister."

When Buffy smiles slightly and nods David stands and holds out his arm towards her, "Come on I'll listen with you."  
Buffy chuckles before grabbing his arm and letting him walk her along the beach, as they walk Buffy looks over at him "You sure you don't have other reasons for pushing me towards singleville."  
"Like what?" David asks curiously.  
"I don't know." Buffy says with a shrug "Keeping me away from Hook?"

David frowns, and instead of acting like an over-protective father he arches a brow and looks at her seriously "You think I'm interested in Hook? Buffy, I'm a married man."  
Buffy laughs slightly "I don't know you guys had some serious bromance going on in Neverland."  
"Funny." He warns before laughing "Come on, one last message." He says changing the subject.

Buffy takes a hesitant breath before grabbing her phone, going to her voicemail, her hand hovers the button for a few minutes before she glances at her father. He smiled at her supportively, he wasn't going to leave her.  
Buffy smiles slightly before pressing the button, taking a deep breath she waits for Dawn's voice only to frown as she hears Xander's.

 _"_ _Buffy..."  
_ Xander's voice comes out in a gruff sound making Buffy stop in her tracks and inhale sharply as dread begins to fill her.

 _"_ _Buffy...um...Dawn was gonna but she...she's with Will. They're a mess, hell I'm a mess. I don't even know if you're getting these messages and if you are I'm so so sorry you have to hear this over the phone."_

Buffy's eyes widen and she lets go of her father as her hands start to shake "No." She breaths as water begins to fill her eyes.

 _"_ _Buffy, Giles...he...ah...he's...the doctor's say he went peacefully. Buffy Giles is dead... I'm—"_

Before the message could continue Buffy drops her phone to the ground watching as it shatters against the pebbles on the ground.

She starts hyperventilating before tears began running full force down her face "Nooooo!" She screams as she drops to her knees.

David panics and quickly crouches down next to her, hugging her to him as she cried heavily.

Buffy shakes her head and tries to push him away "No, no, no...I can't...I can't. No..." Buffy gasps loudly and shakes her head as tears continue to run down her face "Please...please don't take him." Buffy cries as she glances up at the sky begging the powers to bring Giles back "He—he doesn't deserve this."  
"Buffy." David tries as he hugs her tightly running his hand through her hair as she continued to sob.

"It hurts." She cries "Please make it stop...it hurts...it hurts."

"Shh. I'm so sorry Buffy." David tries completely unsure of what to do as he held her, letting her mourn for the man who had been so much like a father to her when he couldn't be and when Hank had refused.

Buffy continues to cry, she couldn't do this, Giles couldn't be dead, it was Giles...he just couldn't be dead. She couldn't do this, lose another person, not now, not after everything.  
She shakes her head and takes another shaky breath holding onto her father as she cries.

As the grief settles in, her insides feel like they're going to explode, she felt like she was glass about to shatter.

She pulls back and allows her father to push the hair out of her face as tears continue to roll down her cheeks before finally one word comes to her "Dawn." She says, her voice breaking as does "I need to...I need to speak to Dawn...I have to..."

"Shh." David tells her as he helps her stand, grabbing her broken phone off the table as she does "Let's head to Granny's my phone is there. We will get ahold of her."

* * *

Hook stumbles slightly as he heads around the back hallway of Granny's with his flask in his hand.

Finally, as he is able to walk straight he ends crashing right into Tinker Bell as she comes out of the bathroom. She gasps slightly as he crashes right into her "Hook!" She frowns slightly as she spots the look on his face, he looked almost heart broken which was a look she had never seen on his before "You okay?"  
Hook stares at his flask for a moment before smirking at her "I'm fine, luv."

She smiles at him before moving to head back into the diner.

As she does Hook watches her for a moment, he was hurt right now and although he knew he would wait for Buffy to be ready, he was a man after all and one who could use a distraction.

Grabbing onto Tink's shoulder with his hook he makes her stop in her tracks and turn back to face him "The question is...are you?" He asks with a smirk on his face as he circles her till he was standing right in front of her.

She looks at him in disbelief "Why wouldn't I be?" She asks playing along, she knew what he was up to and she refused to be used.

"Well..." Hook says with a small shrug "...I know that Storybrooke can be a disorienting place. You're not used to it. Perhaps, a drink to help settle you in?" He asks as he offers her his flask.

Tink rolls her eyes and crosses her arms "We both know you want more than a drink. You want me to help take your mind off Buffy."  
Hook gulps slightly before continues to tease her "Buffy? Who's Buffy?"

* * *

"Buffy?" David asks as he looks over to his heartbroken daughter who was staring out the window. It killed him to see her like this and now there was nothing he could do, her eyes were bloodshot mascara smudged and there were dry tears on her cheeks.

But the thing that was worse was the look on her face, it was hollow, empty, she had hurt so much and now she was trying to lock it away. Trying to hide the grief, deny it from taking over her.

David sighs and places a hand on her shoulder, a sign of support, he knew there was nothing he could say in this moment to help her, all he could do was let her know that he was there for her.

Just as they turn the corner to Granny's a loud scream comes from nearby, startling them both.

Buffy's eyes widen and she glances over at her father who had the same look on his face.  
Buffy sighs and takes a deep breath, as much as she wanted to cry and mourn, she didn't have time for that now, she could grief later, right now she needed to protect the people.

As David pulls the car over in front of Granny's both of them climb out just as Hook and Tinker Bell appear running out of the diner.

"What the hell was that?" Buffy asks in confusion.  
"We had the same question." Hook says drawing her attention, as she glances at him his eyes widen slightly, the look on her face, the redness of her eyes, something horrible had happened.

Buffy frowns when she notices Hook looking at her face curiously, she is about to look away but pauses, Hook and Tink had run out together. Something in the pit of Buffy's stomach groans "Wait, were you two..."  
"No!" Tink exclaims while Hook shrugs "Perhaps."

Tink glares at Hook However before anyone could say anything else, another scream comes from around the corner.  
"There!" David yells as he runs towards it the others running after him.

* * *

The four of them run towards the screaming only to panic as they spot Pan's shadow chasing after the blue fairy. Before any of them could do anything, however, the shadow finally catches the fairy and rips her shadow from her body killing her.

Buffy gasps in shock before running forward, as David runs after her they stand above the fairy's body for a moment. And as Buffy stands there rigid David crouches down and checks the fairy's pulse.

"Come on." He pants only to sigh sadly "She's gone."  
Buffy closes her eyes at that, another day another innocent dead. She takes a deep breath trying to calm her emotions which were threatening to go wild.

"The shadow only takes orders from one person." Buffy hears Hook say making her come out of her own head and focus.  
"Pan."

* * *

As they cover Mother Superior's body with a blanket Buffy glances down at the woman once more before covering her face with the blanket. Blue was dead, and she hadn't been able to do anything to save her, Buffy stands and runs her hand through her hair, just like she hadn't been able to save Giles. They were both dead, now. Two good souls taken too soon.

"Buffy." David tries knowing that being confronted with death mere moments after discovering the truth about Giles was crushing her inside.  
Buffy shakes her head and as she does Snow's eyes widen as she spots the look on Buffy's face, it was clear that something had happened, something that David was very much aware of. As much as she wanted to ask right now they needed to focus on stopping Pan's shadow.  
"I'm fine." She tells him "Later."

David sighs however before he could say anything else Regina runs up to the group with Henry close behind her "What the hell happened?"  
"The shadow." David explains "It killed her."  
"Pan's shadow?" Regina asks completely confused, his shadow was supposed to be trapped, how could it have possibly escaped "I trapped it on the sail."

Buffy looks over at Regina who frowns at the look on the blonde's face "Well he's still kicking cause it got free. And it's a bit ticked off. "

Neal who had joined them shortly after they had found Blue turns to the others "Hook..." He says drawing the pirate's attention "Let's go back to the shop and get the candle. If it strikes again, we need to be able to capture it."  
As Tink, Hook and Neal head off to the ship Buffy turns to Regina, Snow, David and Henry "Pan's behind this. Somehow he's still kicking about in that box."  
Henry's eyes widen in panic "So Pan can still hurt me?" He asks, a hint of fear in his voice.  
"We don't know that." Regina assures him.  
Snow sighs as she looks at Blue's body sadly "Well, we have to assume he's still a threat."  
"And that he's after Henry." Buffy finishes "Must be a Tuesday."  
"Then what am I doing here?" Henry asks panicked.

David nods, they all knew that if Pan still had magic from the box he would be coming after Henry "Henry's right. He's not safe out in the open."  
Henry glances over at Regina "You'll protect me, right?"  
"Well, yes, of course." Regina says as she hugs him tightly.

Buffy frowns for a second at the hug, Henry was pulling away from her slightly and looked uncomfortable, something was off here.  
Turning to Regina Buffy sighs "Regina, one minute?" She asks before walking off to the side.

Regina frowns but follows the blonde, once they were out of earshot Regina turns to Buffy "Okay look I get she was nice and all but what's with the red puffy eyes?" Regina asks sceptically referring to Buffy's red eyes.  
"Giles is dead." Buffy says flatly refusing to let emotion into her voice now, she had to cut it all off because if she allowed even a sliver of emotion to hit her right now she would fall apart and she wouldn't be able to protect Henry.  
Regina's eyes widen in shock, she remains their speechless unsure of what to say, she merely watched the blonde with sympathy in her eyes before something hit her. Henry cared about Giles, the two had bonded, hell, Giles was practically one of his many grandparents.  
"I'm sorry." Regina says honestly  
Buffy shakes her head "Henry doesn't know..." Buffy pauses choking slightly on her words "I can't...I can't..."

Regina's eyes widen, she could see it in her eyes, Buffy was petrified about telling Henry because that would mean admitting it to herself "I'll tell him." Regina tells the blonde shocking the Slayer.  
Buffy's eyes widen "Regina, you don't have to..."  
"Yes, I do." Regina tells her, she understood where Buffy was coming from, she was trying to keep the grief down at the moment and telling Henry could cause her to combust. "We need you strong right now, not a mess." Regina tells her.  
Buffy sighs and takes a deep breath as much as she wanted to be the one to tell Henry she could barely understand it herself at the moment.  
"Thank you."

Regina nods before heading over to Henry and leading him back down the stairs "Where are you taking me?" Henry asks curiously.  
"The one place in Storybrooke the Shadow can never get to—the place where I keep my magic."

* * *

Buffy steps around the back of the community centre as the corner's office came to collect Blue's body. While Mary Margaret and David were distracted she had escaped hoping for a moment to herself.  
She leans her head against the wall and closes her eyes and slowly one by one her walls begin dropping and a wave of emotions hit her. So strong that it felt like it was going to cripple her.

She gasps loudly and her hand reaches out to cover her mouth as a pitiful sob escapes her lips. Giles was gone, not just gone but dead. She couldn't bring him back, she couldn't have saved him.  
She slams her head against the back wall as she begins sobbing heavily, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

She slides her body down the wall till she was sitting on the ground as tears continued to fall. Leaning her head onto her knees she sobs quietly as the realisation that she would never see the man who had been such a father to her ever again hits her. Four years they hadn't spoken and by the time they had finally come back to each other he was practically on his death bed. She hated herself, she should have called sooner, she more than anyone knew how short life was, but she had let her anger and trust issues control her more than anything.

"Buffy?!" David calls from the other side of the building.

Buffy's eyes widen she quickly stands and wipes her eyes before adjusting her hair, taking a few deep breaths she tries to put her emotions back in check. She couldn't do this right now, she couldn't be crying and grieving when this town needed her. Pan was still a threat, her own personal issues would have to wait.

Taking another gasping breath she runs her hand through her hair before moving around the building where David and Mary Margaret were waiting "Let's go get Gold."

* * *

"No..." Gold says the instant he spots Buffy and her parents running towards him. He shakes his head and continues to lock up his store before taking Belle's hand intent on leaving "No, I'm afraid we're closed. Whatever crisis you're dealing with, I'm done for the day."  
Belle sighs before smiling at the others giving them a nod, she then leans into Gold "Rumple." She whispers making it clear he was going to help them even if he didn't want to."

Buffy smirks slightly, whipped men were the easiest to manipulate "Pandora's box—hand it over." Buffy tells him only for him to frown in confusion.  
"And why would I do that?"  
Buffy sighs "We kind of sort of...we need to open the damn thing."  
"And let Pan escape? What are you, crazy?"  
Buffy shrugs, that was actually a valid question "Only a little, quite low on the crazy scale actually."

Snow sighs before turning to Gold trying to explain the situation to him "Somehow he's controlling the shadow from inside the box. Henry's life is in danger."  
"Ergo..." Buffy starts "Give it to me or I will take it."  
Gold rolls his eyes "Taking Pan out of the box will not affect his control over the shadow."  
"It will if he's no longer breathing." Buffy says sharply causing Gold to raise an eyebrow, she had the look of murder in her eyes.  
"With all due respect, Miss Summers, we barely succeeded in apprehending him the first time. If I've learned one thing, it's not to tempt fate."

Buffy scoffs "If Pan hadn't taken Henry, then we wouldn't have had to go to that hell, and I would have been able to say goodbye to Giles before he died. So I don't give a crap right now about apprehending him or whatever, I want him dead. Don't you?"  
Gold pauses for a moment and watches her seriously, trying to tell if she was being honest about this, if she really wanted to kill him. The look she gave him made it all clear "What did you have in mind?"

* * *

Buffy climbs out of David's truck as they pull over by the town line, Gold right behind them climbing out of his own car.  
As she closes the door she heads over to the town line, where the dwarfs had spray painted the town line with bright red paint to make it clearer to everyone where the line was.  
Walking over to the line Buffy stares at the world beyond it, that small line basically separated two worlds, it was like living on the Hellmouth all over again. But this time with fairytale characters instead of demons.

"There's no magic beyond the town line." She hears Gold explain to Belle as the two of them approach "If we release Pan outside Storybrooke, he'll be powerless to fight back."

As Gold moves to cross the town line Buffy's eyes widen, she had to do this, although she didn't want to kill anymore she couldn't let Pan go, he had kidnapped her son, made her relive her worse moments and tortured her with memories while threatening her family. She needed to end it. Pan was going to be her final kill, her last kill.  
"Unh-unh." She says as she moves in front of Gold blocking him from crossing the line "I'm doing this."  
"I can cross the line and retain my memories."

Buffy sighs "It's not about that. There's no magic over there. I have powers on both sides. You don't." Buffy shrugs "Plus he's a 19-year-old kid with the speed of one. You have a limp, he will just run. I'm practically Wonderwoman in this world. My world. My expertise."

Gold glares at her for a moment but can't help but agree, she was right, she was the one from this world, and he wouldn't have any magic on the other side.  
As he steps back Buffy takes a step over the town line and grabs the scythe off her back, she knew Pan would fight back or run and she would not be caught off guard.  
"Bring out the nasty little boy." She says.

Slowly Gold raises Pandora's Box and as he raises his hand over it the red mist begins to rise out of the box. Quickly Gold places the Box on the other side of the town line just opposite Buffy.

The blonde twirls the scythe in her grasp as she waits for Pan to come out of the box, she just wanted this over, she wanted this live action fairytale horror show over and done with.  
As Pan appears out of the mist, lying on the ground she takes a step towards him and clears her throat "Wakey wakey, crazy Amy."

Pan startled by the voice climbs onto his feet, a look of pure confusion running across his face as he takes in his surroundings, however as his eyes land on Buffy wielding the scythe they widen in shock "Mom?"  
Buffy freezes, of all the things she had been expecting Pan to say that had not been one of them "What?" She coughs out suddenly feeling really old for a 27-year-old.

"What are you waiting for?" Gold hisses as he glares at Pan "Kill him."  
Buffy doesn't however, she lowers the scythe and looks at Pan carefully who was looking around fearfully.  
"Don't." Pan begs as he stares at Buffy "Please, I'm Henry. Pan, he—he's switched our bodies." He stutters unsure of how to explain what was happening.

Buffy arches a brow she knew it was possible, hell she had experienced it herself, when Faith had switched their bodies, to say the experience hadn't been pleasant was an understatement.  
As she continues to contemplate this Gold notices her hold on the scythe loosen "Don't listen to him." Gold tells her "This is one of his tricks."

"No, it's not!" Henry yells, begging them to believe him, turning to his mother he looks at her begging, praying that she would see in his eyes that he wasn't Pan "Pan did it right before you knocked him away and then before I could even realise what was happening Mr Gold captured me in the box. I swear."  
Henry tries to take a step towards her but Buffy raises her hand and tightens her grip on the scythe for a moment "Stop. Don't come any closer."  
"Kill him!" Gold hisses but Buffy merely shakes her head.

Something was wrong here, Henry had been acting strangely, he had been distant, his emotions and reactions to things were so drastically different from before. And there had been something off about him since the moment they came off the boat, she could just sense something off with him.

"Maybe he's telling the truth." She argues with Gold "Maybe that's why I can't shake this feeling something is wrong. I mean he barely reacted to the news about Giles..."  
"What happened to Giles?" Henry asks immediately a look of worry on his expression "Did he get out of surgery? Is he okay?"  
Buffy's eyes widen for a moment "He's..."

Before she could finish Gold cuts her off "Stop it!" He yells at her "That's what he wants you to believe, it's a trick. If he steps over this line, we're all dead."  
Buffy gulps slightly, she needed something to confirm what she was thinking, "All right." She says as she turns to Pan "If you really are Henry, prove it. Tell me something only Henry would know."  
"I got trapped in the mines." He says "I tried blowing up the well. I like hot cocoa with cinnamon."  
"This proves nothing." Gold hisses getting frustrated.  
"He's right." Snow tells Buffy "Henry could've told Pan all of this in Neverland."

Buffy stops, they were right, she knew that, but there were two things Pan wouldn't know, the first time they connected and Henry's reaction to Giles' death.  
"Pan might know facts, but life is made out of more than that. There are moments, moments of joy, they are rare and hard to realise but they are there. He can't know all of them." Buffy pauses remembering her moments, with Angel, Willow, Xander and Giles as well as her mom, small moments all so important.

"The first time you and I connected." Buffy finishes as she twirls the scythe once more and raises it towards him "You remember that? Not met but connected."  
Slowly a small smile crosses Henry's face as he remembers back to that day, that moment where he knew that she was his mom, not just his birth mother but his mom and the person he couldn't live without any longer "Yeah."

"Where was it?" Buffy asks hesitantly, she was still slightly unsure.  
"In my castle, right after you came to Storybrooke."  
"And what did you tell me?"  
"That I knew why you gave me up. Because you wanted to give me my best chance."  
At his words Buffy takes a shaky breath, this was Henry, her Henry, she could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice, this was her son.  
Placing the scythe back in its holder she lets out a breath of relief "Henry."  
Henry smiles before moving forward and embracing his mother "Mom."  
Buffy smiles as she hugs him tightly too terrified to ever let him go again"It's Henry."  
As they pull away Henry looks at her seriously "Mom what happened to Giles?" He asks almost hesitantly

Buffy pulls away to look him in the eye, taking a shaky breath she allows a small part of her emotions to unravel, allowing for a single tear to drip down her cheek. Placing a hand on his cheek she sighs "Henry...he...um...Giles's he...he's gone."

As she speaks Henry's eyes widen, he may not have known the man long and had only had one meeting but he had liked him, had even joked about calling him Grampa Giles and now he was gone.  
Looking at his mother and spotting the heartbroken look on her face he cries slightly before hugging her tightly "Mom...I'm so sorry."

Buffy sighs slightly trying to hold back her emotions before looking at him sadly "We'll talk about this later, but right now..." She gestures to his current body "...we should probably fix this...you know before you get any taller than me, I still have a good year or so of looking down at you."  
Henry smiles and as the two of them turn to the others, Buffy looks over at her mother who was watching her sadly, David must not have had the chance to tell her what had happened to Giles.

She takes a deep breath, she didn't have time for this "Promise you're not gonna go all kamikaze on us." Buffy says to Gold.  
When Gold merely looks down Buffy grabs Pandora's Box before leading Henry over the town line, instantly he steps forward and hugs Snow and Charming before turning to Gold who looks at him guiltily "I'm sorry I doubted you, Henry. And I'm sorry I put you in this box in the first place."  
Henry smiles "It's okay. I would have done the same thing."  
Buffy smiles before glancing over at Snow who was watching her sadly "Buffy..."

Buffy holds up her hand cutting the princess off, as sweet as the gesture was she couldn't do this yet, she wasn't ready "Later."

* * *

Regina watches her son curiously as he walks around the volt, she was trying to figure out how to tell him about Giles. She had been avoiding it, a part of her just wanted to tell him and get it over with but then she remembered the reaction he had had when he had thought she had killed Archie. Buffy had told her that he had been crushed, what if he was crushed again, she didn't want to be the person that caused that.  
Taking a deep breath she looks at him seriously "Henry, can you sit down for a minute, sweetie."

Henry frowns in confusion before nodding, he tears his attention away from the magical items and sits opposite Regina waiting patiently for her to speak.  
Regina takes a deep breath before holding Henry's hand "Henry...Mr Giles...when Buffy told you he was out of surgery...that was before she finished the rest of the messages from your aunt..." Regina pauses taking a deep breath, she hadn't thought it would be this hard, telling Henry that someone he cared about was gone was killing her "Henry, it turns out... he's—he died Henry."

Regina takes a deep breath and squeezes his hand supportively waiting for his tears to begin dripping "I'm so sorry Henry."

To her shock there is not much of a reaction, Henry merely stares at her for a moment before glancing around the room again as though trying to contemplate how to respond. Slowly he turns to her and sighs sadly "That's horrible." He says softly before standing back up and wondering around the room.  
Regina's eyes widen in shock, that was weird, Henry had always been kind and emotional with so much heart, knowing that someone he cared about had died should have upset him but he had barely responded.

"Mom." Henry says as he turns towards her. Regina looks over at him and smiles waiting for him to speak "I'm glad I'm here with you." He tells her sweetly.  
Regina sighs happily, he must not be expressing himself due to all the trauma and fear, standing she smiles and hugs him "I know it's hard Henry, but we will get through all of this. And when we do you can mourn and I promise..." She pauses running her hand through his hair as she speaks "I will try and be the mother you always wanted me to be."

Slowly she pulls away and places her hands on his shoulders "I love you." Before she could do anything else, however, a mist hits her making her head go cloudy. Glancing down she spots the vile in his hands that he had just used on her, her eyes widen before she collapses on the ground.

Pan looks down at The Evil Queen before grinning "I know. That's why this was so easy."

* * *

"Regina is still not answering." Buffy says as she hangs up her phone before glancing at the others as they head through the graveyard to get to Regina's vault.  
"When we find Pan." Henry says as he glances at Gold "Remember, he's still in my body. So if you have to throw a fireball or something, at least avoid the face."  
Gold can't help but smile in amusement "I'll do my best."

As they approach the vault Buffy pauses as she spots Hook, Neal and Tink already there trying to crack open the door unsuccessfully.  
"How did you even beat us here?" Buffy asks stunned only for Neal to stare at Henry "Is it really you?"  
"Dad." Henry breaths before running forward and embracing his father.

As the father and son embrace David turns to Hook "Did you find the shadow?"  
"Not yet." Tink answers.  
Hook nods before raising the coconut that they had collected off the Jolly Rodger "But we'll be ready for him when we do."

"It's Pan we should be concerned about now." Gold says stubbornly, not really caring about the fact the shadow had killed the blue fairy "Why are we still up here?"  
"It's locked up tight." Neal informs him.  
Buffy grins "That would be my cue." She says as she makes her way towards the door intent on knocking it down, she hadn't hit anything all day and right now she needed to pour all her untouched emotions into something, specifically this door.  
However before she could kick the door down Gold raises a hand blocking her from its path "Miss Summers, as strong as you are...that door is sealed with magic."  
Buffy groans "Destroy all my fun why don't you." She pouts before crossing her arms.

Gold raises his hand towards the door ignoring her childish behaviour. He closes his eyes and tries to punch a hole through the magical barrier, but it was too strong.  
He sighs as he opens his eyes and lowers his hand "This is going to take some time."

Buffy sighs, she needed a moment away from all this, it was all becoming too much, from Pan swapping bodies with Henry, to Regina being trapped by Pan, to not dealing with her emotions about Giles properly, it was starting to cripple her. She was starting to feel hollow inside.  
Buffy takes a deep breath and stepping away from the group she moves to lean against a large oak tree as she tried to rain in all her emotions and keep them contained, she couldn't let them overcome her, she had to protect her friends and family, that's what Giles would have wanted.

"It's gonna be okay." Mary Margaret says as she approaches her daughter "You know, everything's going to be okay."  
Buffy shakes her head and clenches her eyes shut as a stray tear leaves her eyes before running down her cheek "Nothing is okay." Buffy tells her as her voice sounds very hoarse she couldn't do this right now, as much as she appreciated Mary Margaret trying to be optimistic it was not going to help here, "Giles is dead. He's dead. And I didn't get to say goodbye and I can't even mourn cause I have to stop Pan...who is in my son's body! Tell me how any of this is okay!" Buffy yells as she starts to lose control, she takes a deep shaky breath and grabs onto the tree "I can't keep doing this..." She tells them honestly "I once told Giles that I couldn't understand how to live in this world if these were choices...and I still think that way."  
"Buffy..." Snow says softly a heartbroken look on her face as she watches her daughter crumble from the inside out "We will save Henry."

"Will we?" Buffy lets out a hoarse laugh as she asks, she just didn't have that optimism, not after everything she had lost.  
"Yes." David tells her "And because of you. You were right about Pan. Just like your mother was about Regina all those years ago. We'll stop him. And then—"  
Buffy scoffs as she hears what he is about to say "Live my moments?" She asks before shaking her head "I've lived my moments already. But...my mom is dead...Giles is dead...Angel, Spike dead. Tara is dead...I have tried to live those moments before even while bad things were happening...and it doesn't work. I'm not meant to have moments. I've tried and people have died because of it. I'm...the Savior, the Slayer...I don't have the luxury of having moments. It's just not my life. Every time I have tried to enjoy my life it's ended in misery and darkness. It's never gonna stop...not even when I die...it never stops."  
Snow looks at her sadly and understandably "I use to think the same way."

Buffy sighs, she knew that her birth mother was trying to understand but she couldn't and it was only making this more difficult "It's different. I didn't grow up the way you did, my childhood was fighting and violence and pain and death. I tried to escape but it follows me not matter where I go and now that I have magic...this magic I have has a price, as does the power of being the Slayer. The price of having all that power is...I don't get a day off."

Suddenly there is a loud slam from behind them, Buffy turns her head her hair swinging to the side as she turns. Her eyes widen as she spots Gold blast open the doors to the vault before strolling inside.  
Without another word, Buffy grabs her scythe and moves to follow Gold inside.

* * *

"Regina!" Snow exclaims as the group walk into the vault only to find Regina unconscious on the ground.  
As Snow runs to her to check that she was okay Buffy glances around the vault "Where is he?"  
"Pan's gone." David realises as they walk further into the room.  
Buffy groans in annoyance, that little teenage jackass really needed to get his ass kicked, he was really beginning to get on her nerves. She shakes her head before watching as Gold bends down by the still unconscious Regina and waves his hand, a purple glow covers the Mayor before finally, she stirs.

"What?" Regina gasps as she inhales sharply before looking around the room in complete confusion "What happened?"  
"It's Henry." Buffy tells her "Pan somehow pulled a whole Freaky Friday situation."

Regina sighs as she remembers back to Henry's reaction to Giles, she should have known in that moment "And I fell for it." She shakes her head in frustration "I should have realised, he wasn't even shocked by Giles' death, Henry would have..."  
"I was." Henry says from behind Buffy as he stood there still trapped in Pan's body as he watches Regina "Mom told me..." He says sadly.  
Regina gasps slightly "Henry?"

Henry doesn't say anything he merely circles around Buffy and moves over to Regina hugging her tightly "I'm sorry Henry." Regina tells him "I just wanted so badly to believe that I was the mother that you needed."  
"I still do." He promises her.  
Buffy smiles slightly however her attention is quickly drawn to David who was frowning in confusion "So what exactly did Pan come down here to get?"  
Buffy nods in agreement "That's the million-dollar question."

As they speak Buffy catches Gold in the corner of her eye with his hand hovering over a small box.  
"What?" David asks noticing Golds shocked reaction suddenly.  
Gold completely ignores the Prince and turns to Regina "Please tell me you didn't keep it down here."  
Regina sighs "Where else would I keep it?"  
Buffy's eyes widen, something was very wrong here "What is it? What did Pan take?"

* * *

"A curse?" Felix asks curiously as Pan opens the scroll where an old transcript was written.  
"No, Felix." Pan tells him "The curse. The curse that tore everyone from the Enchanted Forest, and dropped them here." He says as he glances over at the city of Storybrooke, from their view on the hill near the Old Well they could see everything, every light, every building, every soul.

Felix stares at him in confusion "You broke me out of jail, to tell me how everyone got to this town?" He asks sceptically.  
"I broke you out of jail because this spell is gonna give us everything we've ever wanted."

* * *

"Why would Pan even want the curse?" Regina asks in utter confusion, she couldn't understand why Pan would lure her here just to steal a spell to a curse she had already cast "I already cast it."  
Buffy nods in agreement "And I broke it." She herself was still very confused, non of this was making much sense.

Gold rolls his eyes, non of them were understanding the importance and danger of this situation and it was frustrating "Well, that doesn't mean he can't cast it again. And this time..." he says as he glances over at Buffy "...without your parents' true love woven in, even you would be powerless to break it."  
"I don't understand." David tells him "We're already in this land."  
Snow nods in agreement non of this was making any sense "What exactly would casting the curse in Storybrooke do now?"

Suddenly Buffy's phone starts ringing, she groans as she glances down and sees Faith's number, as much as she needed to talk to her friends now was not the best time, she opens her phone intent on telling Faith that she would have to call her back but suddenly a white glow comes out of her phone.

Buffy gasps and drops the phone to the ground, everyone else gasps as well as they all suddenly see a strong white glow coming out of the phone.  
"What did you do?" Regina asks.  
"I didn't mean to." Buffy breaths as she stares at the glowing phone.  
She clenches her eyes shut as suddenly four figures come bursting out of the phone and land on the hard ground beside it.

Buffy's eyes widen in shock as suddenly there before her were her friends and her sister, Faith, Xander, Willow and Dawn.  
"What the hell is going on?"

* * *

"Everyone will forget who they are..." Pan tells Felix "...time will stand still, and, Felix...we will be in charge."  
Felix grins "Of this all place."  
"Yes. And when we're done with it...it's going to be the New Neverland."


	63. Going Home

Los Angeles High School – 11 Years Ago

"Oh, I'm sorry." The 16-Year-old blonde Slayer beams sarcastically before punching the vampire in the neck again before throwing him through the glass window.  
Buffy spins around ducking under the arm of the next vampire before tossing him away from her causing him to go crashing into the wall of the school gym.

Suddenly a loud clapping noise grabs her attention, turning her head Buffy's eyes wide as she spots Lothos moving towards her a smirk on his face "Deary, you've been keeping something from me..." He says slyly before nodding to two of his minions.

Buffy frowns in confusion but keeps the stake in her hands prepared, her eyes widen however in horror as she spots her Watcher Merrick being dragged through the gym before being dropped at Lothos' feet.

"No!" She yells as she tries to move forward only for two vampires to grab her holding her back.  
She groans and struggles against them before glancing over to Lothos, he grabs Merrick by the neck before turning to Buffy "He may have spilled a little secret." Lothos says as his eyes drop to Buffy's flat stomach.

Buffy's eyes widen as she realised that they must know the truth, they must have tortured Merrick trying to learn her weaknesses.

"A new mother is always extra delicious." Lothos says with a smirk before he snaps Merrick's neck.

Buffy's gasps in shock and continues to try and pull away from the vampires holding her back "Nooooo!" She screams heavily as she watches her Watcher's Body slowly drop to the ground lifelessly.

Buffy continues to hyperventilate as she looks around the gym, more and more vampires were filling the gym and she couldn't stop them. She hadn't been able to stop them from killing Merrick, what if she couldn't stop them from killing any more people.

As Lothos begins to move in on her Buffy's eyes widen, and suddenly she fills with fury, she grabs the arms of the vampires holding her and twists backwards kicking Lothos in the face as she does.  
Landing on her feet she grabs her stake and stabs both the vampires before running forward she leaps over Lothos before running over to the wooden pillar.

She smirks at him for a moment before pulling out a lighter "Survive this." She hisses before lighting up the pillar with a bright flame.  
She watches as the fire quickly spreads up the pillar then kicks it down knocking it to the ground, allowing the flames to spread across the entire gym.

She watches with a stone expression as the body of her Watcher and the man who had killed him were lit up in bright flames.  
Slowly she begins coughing so starts to make her way towards the exit, she glances back once more watching all the vampires inside scream in bloody agony.  
She shakes her head before quickly running out the back exit and slamming the door shut behind her.

She leans her head against the wooden door and sighs in relief it was over, but then it hits her the sadness, Merrick was dead. Because she had been reckless. Sighing she takes a deep breath only to gasp in pain suddenly.

Frowning she looks down only to freeze there was water dripping down her legs, which could only mean "Ahhh!" She cries out again before clutching her stomach "Oh not now." She mutters as she spots the police coming towards her.

* * *

Storybrooke, Maine – Present Day

"You never cease to amaze me, Peter." Felix tells Pan as the two of them head towards an old well in the middle of the forest "Outwitting The Evil Queen in less than a day?" He inhales sharply "Impressive."

Pan couldn't help but smile, the fact that it had been so easy to trick her just made him so cheerful "She loves the boy. That makes her weak." Pausing slightly as they speak up to the well, he smiles, it was time "This is it. This is where we'll cast it."

* * *

Buffy stands there in shock, she couldn't believe it, there lying on the ground were her best friends, it wasn't possible, yet here they were.  
She gulps slightly unsure of what to do, she glances around the room for a moment only to spot all the Storybrooke gang staring at her waiting for some form of an explanation.  
"Damn...haven't had a hangover this bad since I—"

"Faith!" Buffy exclaims trying to silence the vulgar language that was surely about to leave the other Slayer's mouth right in front of Henry.  
Faith frowns before flipping up only for her eyes to widen as she spots Buffy "B." She breaths before helping the others up "Look's like it worked Red."  
"Huh." Willow asks as she stands only to smile as she spots Buffy, she then freezes however as she looks around the room "Wow." She breaths, this was so awesome, she was actually in the Evil Queen's volt from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She had imagined it slightly different.

Buffy shakes her head, as great as it was to see her friends, right now wasn't exactly the best time, "Guys..."  
She starts only for a small voice to cut her off "Buffy?"  
Buffy's eyes widen she turns her head to face Xander just as Dawn appears walking out from behind him "Dawn." She breaths before she smiles sadly.

"Buffy, honey what's going on?" Mary Margaret asks as she stares at her stunned daughter in confusion, it was impossible for these people to be in Storybrooke yet here they were.

Buffy doesn't respond to her mother as she merely lets out a small breath before running over to her sister and clutching onto her tightly.  
Buffy strokes her sister's hair, before pulling back and cupping her cheeks in her hand "I'm so sorry."  
Dawn merely takes a shaky breath and hugs her again, normally she would have screamed and yelled but this time grief for Giles and joy knowing that her sister was alive was just too overwhelming.

After a moment Buffy pulls away and hugs Xander and Willow tightly before squeezing Faith's hand, knowing she wasn't too big on displays of affection.  
"What are you guys doing here?" Buffy finally asks as she steps away from her friends and stares at them in confusion, as great as it was to see them, there were in a bit of a crisis at the moment.  
Willow looks at her seriously "We were worried about you...Buffy, last time we heard from you, you told us three things, one you were either going back to the Enchanted magical forest place, 2 you'd call us, or 3, you would be dead."

Before Buffy could say anything else Henry walks over and smiles at the gang, making Buffy sigh, this was going to be hard to explain.  
"Hi, Aunt Dawn." Henry says as he gives her a hug.  
Dawn merely freezes and stares at the 19-year-old kid, before her head shoots to Buffy "Tell me you did not lie about a second kid!"

Everyone in the room winces at the sound of Dawn's screech before Buffy groans "Dawn, that is Henry...I told you this place was Nutso."

* * *

"They'll be slaves to this new land we're making." Pan tells Felix as they stand by the well "With no idea who they once were. Death is final, Felix. Their suffering...will be eternal."  
Pan smirks before dropping the first ingredient down into the well watching as it falls into the waters below.

* * *

"Another curse?" Mary Margaret asks Gold as they all stand outside of the Mausoleum after they had explained the situation to Buffy's friends they had all come out here, that small room becoming too crowded.  
"It's happening again?" Snow says mostly to herself, she couldn't believe it.

Buffy turns away from her sister who was still much like Xander and Willow staring at the Storybrooke lot, most probably trying to work out which fairytale they were all from.  
"Gold." Buffy says as she turns to him "This curse, is it gonna work like the last one?"  
"That last one?" Xander asks.  
"The one that sent our Buff from princess world to hell world." Faith informs him before turning back to Gold "Continue gramps..."

Gold glares at the brunette haired Slayer before turning back to Miss Summers "That last one was created to service the Queen's wishes. This will be done per Pan's desire. I would count on something hellish."

Willow lets out a long whistle "Peter Pan is evil, Snow White is Buffy's mom...this is...this...I don't know what this is..." She babbles still trying to process everything Buffy had told them.  
"Guys." Buffy hisses "Not the time for the fandom to explode."

Buffy shakes her head and when she notices them still staring at everyone she slaps her forehead and groans, seriously the world was ending and they were still too stunned by the fact that they were surrounded by actual fairytale characters to focus "Guys!"

Willow, Xander, Faith and Dawn flinch and all turn away from where they had been staring at Tinker Bell and zip their lips shut.

Buffy sighs in relief before turning to Regina "So what do we do?"  
"The curse was built to be unstoppable." Regina tells her "There's nothing that can be done."  
Willow raises her hand causing Gold to frown "This isn't a classroom Ms Rosenbury."  
Willow's eyes widen "Is it bad that Rumpelstiltskin knows my name...never mind...I was gonna say what about a barrier?"

Gold thinks for a moment, a barrier may be able to hold it back long enough for them to stop it "Quite an idea." He says before turning to Regina "Will provide us with time to stop it."  
Regina frowns in confusion, the curse was supposed to be unstoppable "What?"  
"By using the scroll itself. It can only be undone by the person who used the scroll. That's you, Regina."

* * *

"What she did is child's play compared to what I have in mind." Pan says with a wide grin on his face as he raises the next ingredient for the spell before glancing over at Felix. When his right-hand smirks Pan chuckles before releasing the vial of liquid into the well below.  
"I knew you'd win." Felix says with a chuckle Peter Pan never fails."

* * *

"What do I have to do?" Regina asks Gold curiously, he was being very vague about this all thing and it was making her nervous.  
"Well Ms Rosenbury has magic from this world, I believe she can create a temporary barrier blocking the curse, allowing you time to destroy the scroll. Both your curse and his shall be ended, but know this—there will be a price. A steep one."

Willow frowns in confusion for a moment last time they had spoken Buffy hadn't gotten into a lot of detail about the magic from her world, just that it was powerful. And although magic in this world came with a price, it seemed as though it was taken more literally in theirs.

"W-what do you suggest?" Regina stutters, not liking the sound of this one bit.  
"Instead of going to him, bring him to us with a spell—" Gold tells them all "One that will return Pan and Henry to their own bodies."

Buffy eyes widen she glances at Faith who had the same look on her face, the orb Willow had summoned when Faith had stolen her body could work but it would also mean Pan and Henry would have to be in the same room for it to work, and they had no idea where Pan was.  
Gold chuckles as he spots the two Slayers exchanging glances "This spell is similar to the one that switched you both all those years ago." He assures them "However it will allow us to do it from a distance."

* * *

"Love can mean many things, Felix." Pan explains to the dimwitted idiot smirking internally as he does "It doesn't just come from romance or family. It can also come from loyalty. Friendship." As he speaks Felix's eyes widen as Pan's true motives finally come clear to him "Only one person has always believed in Pan."

Felix gulps in fear, as the reality of the situation settles in, Pan needed his heart and there was nothing he could do to escape his fate "That's me."  
Pan smiles and tilts his head at the now scared boy "Don't be afraid. Be flattered."  
Felix shakes his head, he didn't want to die, when he spots Pan moving towards him he panics "No, no, no, no, no!" He screams as Pan rips his heart from his chest before crushing it over the well.

* * *

"If I'm back in my own body, that means I'll have the scroll." Henry realises as they all continue to discuss the plan "I-I can bring it to you guys."  
Gold nods "Exactly right, Henry."

Buffy takes a deep breath, she wasn't too sure how she felt about this, she would risk her own life yes but Henry would be putting himself at risk her. She couldn't risk him getting hurt, she couldn't lose him.  
Regina who was in the same mindscape as Buffy here turns to Gold "Even you aren't powerful enough to cast such a spell."

"What about Red?" Faith asks curiously as she crosses her arms, as far as was aware the girl was practically a goddess all with the glowing hair and eyes.  
Gold seems to consider this for a moment before shaking his head "You people do not understand, your world's magic has no lasting effect on ours, even if you were able to do it, Ms Rosenburg, it would only last moments before the spell reversed. Miss Summers here would have more of a chance of performing such a spell and that's saying something."

Buffy glares at him, totally annoyed at the fact that he had found a way to burn her, she knew she sucked at magic, she wasn't going to argue about that, didn't mean he had to rub it in though "Thank you so much for that vote of confidence, jackass."

Gold merely rolls his eyes "Given the proper tool, I could be strong enough."  
"The Black Fairy's wand—" Tinker Bell realises as she turns to him, hoping to God for the man with the eyepatch to stop staring at her like a prized puppy "—one of the most powerful fairies that ever existed. Well-versed in dark magic. The blue fairy exiled her. But before she did, she took her wand."

Gold nods confirming what the fairy was telling them "I assume our dearly departed mother superior had it hidden at her residence."  
Xander frowns and raises his hand "Wait, a fairy was a nun?"  
"That was her double identity." Dawn explains.  
Buffy groans and slaps her forehead while Xander merely frowns "But they have nothing to do...I'm confused." Xander sighs "This is just...fun." he says sarcastically before turning back to Gold who was glaring at him making him want to run for the hills.

David shakes his head, Buffy's friends were really coming at the worse possible time "Then what are we waiting for?" he asks trying to get them back on point "Let's hit the convent."  
"Can I come?" Tink asks suddenly "I should pay my respects to Blue, after all."

Xander frowns again "They are named after colours, but what if there were two Pink fairies, would you call them Pink 1 and 2? Wouldn't it just get confusing?"

Tink merely stares at him stunned that someone could have so many questions built in just the space of a few seconds, she turns to Buffy who merely shrugs "It's Xander...I don't know." Buffy tells her before sighing, she was beginning to get a migraine.

Gold turns to the blonde Slayer "Miss Summers, decide what to do with your...guests, the rest of us should get back to my shop and prepare Henry for the spell."  
Buffy groans and as the groups begin to separate Buffy turns to Hook, Neal, David and Tink "Wait a second." She tells them before turning to her friends.  
Instantly she focuses on Xander "Go with them."

"Huh?" Xander asks the same time that David turns around and says "What?!"

Buffy glares at her father for a moment before turning back to Xander "As much as we all want to discuss the elephant in the room right now..." She says clearly referring to Giles "...we need to focus. Look I get this is weird Peter Pan is a villain, but he wants my son, I promise I will explain all the fairytale stuff later but for now Xander you're going with them. I trained you, and they are going to need all the help they can get..." Buffy pauses and looks at him slightly guiltily "Even if that means you're target practice."  
"Hey!" Xander yells at her only to sigh at her begging eyes, he groans before hugging her "Fine, but just for you Buffster."

Xander glances back at the group he was going with and frowns, both of the men who weren't Buffy's bio dad were staring at her, his eyes widen, this could not be happening again, another Angel and Spike situation, seriously how was this fair, she kept getting all the good looking people, yet he always got demons.

"Another triangle! How is that fair Buffy? I'm stuck with slim and grossness and weird eyes and you get..." Xander pauses at her shocked and embarrassed look and glances back at Hook and Neal "Guyliner and coconut."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Feel free to have a go with both of them Xander." She tells him which caused Faith to laugh.  
Buffy sighs "Just don't kill Neal." Buffy tells him.

"Oh, so that—" Xander starts as he realises that that was the guy that had gotten Buffy pregnant and taken off, oh he was so gonna do some Pumbling.  
He moves to go towards them but freezes and turns back to Buffy, reaching into his jacket he pulls out a small hand written envelope and hands it towards her.

Buffy's eyes widen as she spots the letter, she instantly recognised the writing, it was Giles's handwriting, that was a letter from him.  
"He wanted you to have this." He tells her before squeezing her hand and heading over to the group.

As he does he turns to Hook who was still watching Buffy and glances down at his hook "No way!" Xander breaths "Man, I have so many questions."  
David chuckles in amusement before leading them and a very annoyed Hook towards the convent.

As they head off Buffy stares at the letter in her hands, she was terrified of what could be in here, what if he hated her, what if it was about some cure she could have found, what if...what if it crushed her.

Sighing she tucks it into her sleeve, now was not the time for this, she had to stay focused on saving her son, she could deal with total breakdown and heartache later.

Turning to Willow and Faith she smiles at them "The well." She tells them both "Wil, do you think you can slow this thing down?"

Willow nods "For a time, yes, but it won't be long, my magic won't have a big effect against your worlds..." Willow pauses "God that sounds so weird. You're actually from a fairytale world. I mean Snow White..." Willow gets really giggly for a second she had always loved that book "She's is your mom. She's so pretty in real life...although her hair is a lot shorter than I imagined. I always thought..."  
"Willow!" Buffy exclaims trying to get the witch to focus.

Faith chuckled "Don't worry Red, I get it you got the hots for Buffy's mama. Can't say her pops ain't delicious, I would like to—"  
"Ew!" Buffy yells loudly as she slaps Faith's arm, hating her for giving her both of those visual imagines, walking in on her parents when they had been 'resting' had been disturbing enough.

"Ew, ew, I hate you." Buffy mutters shaking her body slightly before focusing "Faith go with her, protect her if Pan and Felix show up."  
Faith nods "You got it B." She says before rolling her eyes as Willow takes her hand and the two of them disappear in a puff of red mist.

Buffy sighs, this was seriously stressing her out, she forgot how fangirly her friends could get sometimes...and how disturbing Faith could be. Shaking her body one more time as a cold shiver goes down her spine she sighs before turning to her sister "You're coming with me. I don't want you out of my sight. You have a habit of getting into trouble."

As they begin to walk with the other Dawn glares at her elder sister "I do not."  
"Do too."  
"Do not."  
"Do too. Every freaking Sunday."

* * *

Snow clasps the unicorn mobile in her hands, it was just like she remembered it, with the glass unicorns silver and blue twirling around a crib. A crib that was supposed to Buffy's.

She sighs sadly this was meant to be for her daughter, it was supposed to be hanging above her crib as she reached for it. All those plans and hopes she had for her family, gone, demolished, because she didn't get to raise her daughter, she didn't get to place her in her crib and watch as she stares at the unicorns with innocent curiosity.

As Buffy walks over to her Snow couldn't help but smile sadly "This mobile hung above your crib." Buffy's eyes widen in shock and sadness causing Snow to rephrase "Um...it was supposed to hang over your crib." She says slowly the words clearing killing her as she speaks them.

Buffy looks at her mother sadly, she could see the hurt in Mary Margaret's eyes as she stared at the reminder of all that she had lost.  
Buffy takes a deep breath before smiling at her "You know, I had one like this." She says causing Snow's eyes to widen, Buffy rarely spoke of her childhood and it was always nice to imagine what kind of kid she had been.  
Buffy smiles "It wasn't as glamorous, but there were soft toys, unicorns, horses, blue birds."

When Snow smiles Buffy tries to give her a bit more of a look into her childhood, it was difficult to talk about but her mother needed it, she needed to know that she had been okay "We used to watch Snow White and the Seven Swarfs a lot." Buffy tells her causing Snow to laugh slightly as she imagined her daughter watching a TV with a cartoon version of her.  
Buffy smiles "Yeah. So you were there, not in the physical sense but I had Snow White in my life. That hope and innocence. It was there with me growing up. Well, that and Mr Gordo."

As she speaks Snow felt like she was going to burst into tears, hearing all this made her heart burst with happiness but also heartache because if it hadn't been for that curse they wouldn't have needed a television, it would have just been the two of them.

"Who's Mr Gordo?" She asks curiously.  
Buffy chuckles slightly "My Stuffed Pig, could never figure out where I got that name from."

Snow smiles slightly as a memory comes to her about when she was pregnant "I do." She says softly "I used to read you stories when I was pregnant with you. One was about a man named Gordo and the love he had for his horse. You always used to kick the most during that story."  
Buffy looks at her sadly, feeling slightly guilty for forcing the memory which must seem so bittersweet now, hesitantly she leans forward and takes Snow's hand clasping it with her own.

Snow stunned that Buffy was willingly making the first move, she squeezes her hand before taking a shaky breath, trying to fight back tears "Giving you up when the curse hit was the hardest thing I've ever had to do." Snow tells her.  
Buffy looks down "I know."  
"Every time I look at you I wonder what would've happened if I hadn't had to."

Buffy gulps slightly before removing her hand, she did imagine it sometimes, but then sometimes she was grateful because then she never would have had her mom or her sister whom she loved more than anything.

"I do the same thing with Henry." She reveals honestly, she had wondered every day after giving him up what would have happened and now that she was around him all the time, she just imagined it all that much more.  
Snow sighs and attempts to comfort her daughter "You were doing your best. You were giving him—"

"His best chance." Buffy finishes before shaking her head and stepping away and moving to lean against one of the wooden desks, glancing over at her sister who was going through the store with the curiosity of a child.  
She takes a deep breath before turning back to her mother "Yeah but still...things would have been very different if I had kept him." Buffy chuckles for a moment "For one my mom probably would have killed me but..." She pauses thinking about what her life would have been like "...I would have had something normal. Something no Slayer has had for long. My life would be very different. I might have never left my friends, never gone to San Francisco, we might still be in L.A or maybe England with the gang."

Snow looks at her sadly causing Buffy to smile at her, trying to reassure her that she was okay "I was 15, I was still a kid, my life was and is very dangerous...I guess having something normal in my life...that all just was not meant to be."

Buffy smiles at her before glancing at her sister for a moment, slowly she turns back to her mother, giving her a hesitant look, she had no idea how her birth mother would feel about meeting her adopted sister "Do you wanna meet my sister?"  
Snow freezes stunned before slowly a smile covers her lips "I would love to."  
Buffy smiles before waving at her sister "Dawn."

Dawn tears her gaze away from an antique block and gasps "I didn't do it!"  
Buffy rolls her eyes before smiling "Come here, Dawn." She says giving her sister a pointed look.  
Dawn rolls her eyes back before moving over to her sister who looks at her nervously, causing her to frown, she had never seen Buffy nervous.  
"Dawn, meet Mary Margaret." Buffy says as she turns to her mother.

Dawn stares at her for a moment in shock, she did not look like the 14-year-old princess from the movie, but she had the pale skin and dark hair down to a tee.

Dawn glances in-between Buffy and Snow, there was a small resemblance there, they had the same face shape, but Buffy seemed to take after her father who Dawn had a glance at earlier in the Evil Queen's tomb. God that was such an odd thing to be thinking about, she had earlier been inside the Evil Queen's tomb, this was all so surreal.  
Turning to Buffy she smiles "So this is your—"

Snow steps forward and smiles at the brunette girl sweetly "Hello Dawn, you and I need to sit down later." She says as she smiles at Buffy for a moment before turning back to her daughter's sister "I would love to hear all about you and Buffy growing up."  
Dawn smiles slightly "Well for starters, she was a troublemaker, there was this one time where she broke into a —"

"Dawn!" Buffy exclaims before grabbing her sister's shoulder and dragging her away from her mother "Ignore her. That's enough bonding for one day." She tells Snow before dragging her sister away, leaving a smiling Snow in her wake, but slowly that smile falls as she imagines a world where Buffy would have been playing in the castle with her own younger brother or sister.

"Henry." Buffy says as Regina and Belle walk into the back of Gold's storeroom with Henry, she moves over to her son but not before glaring at her sister once more.  
While Dawn merely smirks at her Buffy rolls her eyes before moving over to Henry who was now sat on the small bed in the corner of the room "You doing okay, kiddo?"  
Henry nods "Yeah. I'm just...ready to be me again."

Gold who was by the spinning wheel turns to Henry "Not much longer now, Henry." He says before flipping through the book in his hands "Once we have the wand, all will be as it should."

* * *

Faith groans as she moves another large branch out of her face, she really was not a forest person.

Willow who was walking ahead sighs, "I really don't like this town." She mumbles, her magic was practically useless here, she couldn't affect anything long term, hell even trying to teleport here had failed.  
The magic surrounding the well refused to let them anywhere near it when she had tried to drop them off there. So now here they were climbing up a tall hill towards a mysterious magical well, in hopes of stopping a magical curse from taking over the town.

Suddenly Faith laughs causing Willow to frown, "I was like that at first." Faith tells her as they walk "When the big T was revealed God knows how many questions I asked. Couldn't exactly imagine our B in a ball gown dancing around with her mom Snow White, I needed some convincing."  
Willow nods in agreement "And we thought Sunnydale was weird."

"At least the whole hotties in fairytale world thing is true. I mean B's dad yum, and that Captain Hook, now that is better than the film version."  
Willow chuckled, she had spotted Hook as well, well, more importantly, the gaze he had been throwing Buffy's way. Man did that girl always find herself in a complicated situation.

Finally, the two reach the Well and thankfully the magic doesn't send them flying backwards "Looks like our world and theirs world didn't end on bad terms." Faith says as she notices Willow staring at the well with interest.  
She could feel the power coming from, it was different from anything she had felt, honestly, it was the feeling she had gotten from Buffy at the hospital a few months ago.

Sighing Willow glances down only to spot a green fog slowly beginning to take form at the bottom of the well "I need to find some way to contain it, the minute it flows over the walls of the well, that's it. I won't be able to control the spread. It's too powerful."  
Faith frowns, she really wasn't looking forward to this "You wanna tell me what the plan is?"

Willow looks at her nervously, she knew Faith wasn't going to like this so she had been holding off as long as possible "Well, you see my magic doesn't have much of an effect but...we know from Buffy that the Slayer energy works in multiple worlds right? Without demonising, despite it being formed by magic from our world." At her words, Faith frowns she wasn't liking the sound of this "Well I can use that energy so that my magic has a stronger hold against this magic."  
Faith's eyes widen "Oh hell no, Red..."

Willow winces slightly before pouting causing Faith to roll her eyes, she really hated the fact that she did the right thing now. Holding out her hand towards Willow the redhead grins before grabbing her hand and begging the spell covering the well in a red mist.

* * *

Xander glances around the convent as they head towards the open coffin where three other nuns/no wait fairies were standing. This was all still really confusing for him, he honestly didn't know how Buffy handled it all.  
"Sorry to interrupt..." Tink says as they all approach the fairies "But we need your help."  
Neal who Xander had still yet to question and partially torture for hurting his little sis turns towards the fairy "Black fairy's wand is here. We need it."  
"Please." Xander interjects "He meant to say please."

At the fairies horrified looks Xander frowns, had he done something wrong "Or maybe not...I don't really get the customs with you lot, Buff didn't get a lot of time to explain."  
The fairies shake their head "We can never—"  
Tinker Bell merely rolls her eyes "Yeah, it's terrible, terrible thing. But what's coming is worse. Where is it?"  
Suddenly a thumping noise comes from outside causing all of them to gasp, they turn just as Pan's shadow begins flying madly past all the windows.

"Never watching Peter Pan again." Xander mumbled as they listen to the screeching sound Pan's shadow was making.  
"What does it want?" One of the fairies asks terrified.  
"Well, it sure ain't looking for a date." Xander quips as his eyes fall on the shadow which was banging on the glass trying to get in.  
"It wants the wand." Hook says loudly.  
David quickly turns to the three fairies "Run, run!" He yells.

"Can that apply to us right now?" Xander asks just as the shadow makes its way into the room, quickly all of them run and take cover behind the benches.  
As the take cover, Xander groans "Yes Buffy, I'll go with them it will be fun." He says sarcastically "Real fun."

* * *

As Buffy and the others go over the plan one last time Dawn glances over at her nephew who was looking down at the ground nervously as he played with his hands.  
She smiles slightly before moving over to sit beside him, she may not know him that well but he was family "You okay?"  
Henry glances up at his aunt and nods "Fine. What's up?"  
Dawn smiles slightly, she was a little unsure of what to say but then she looked into his eyes, he had a look she had once had during their battle with The First "Your mom told me what you did." She tells him "That was a brave thing to do."  
"It was stupid." Henry argues, stilling angry at himself for doing it, he should have seen past Pan's trickery.

Dawn smiles and looks at him "No it wasn't. You were willing to sacrifice everything to save your family. You know your mom did the same thing when I was only a little older than you."  
When Henry doesn't say anything Dawn smiles "I get it you know...you live in a town with heroes and people with magic and powers and your just a kid."  
Henry frowns, this was supposed to be a pep talk but it didn't exactly feel that way "Aunt Dawn...not helping."

Dawn chuckles before continuing "I've been that kid. The one with no powers surrounded by strong people. I'm gonna tell you something someone told me a long time ago, not one of them will ever know...not even your moms...how harder it is for the rest of us."  
Henry frowns in confusion, these people constantly put their lives at risk, what she was saying didn't make sense.

Noticing his confusion Dawn turns to him "My whole life I have watched my friends, my sister become more and more powerful, my sister now has magic which is a whole other level. Powerful. All of them. They will never what it's like...to be the person in the corner. I do research and give moral support. I'm not the one in the spotlight." Dawn pauses and moves the hair out of her nephew's eyes "I heard what you did, despite not having that power, you were willing to give up your life to save the world. You know what I see when I see you Henry, an extraordinary young man, who is capable of so much."

Henry's eyes fill with water and before Dawn could say another word he moves closer and hugs her tightly, this was it, the first moment they connected.  
Dawn smiles and hugs her nephew, feeling like they were family for real for the first time.

* * *

"I'll draw its ire." Hook says surprising Xander, who had expected to be used as bait in this situation.  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Tink asks the pirate.  
Xander nods in agreement before ducking again as the shadow flies towards them "Yeah man, I got plenty experience being bait!" Xander groans "I really wish Buffy had kept that rocket launcher I gave her."  
David's eyes shoot to Xander in shock, Buffy had never mentioned being given a rocket launcher, "Wait, what? You brought my daughter a rocket launcher?"  
"Yeah." Xander says as he ducks again "Her 17th birthday. My gift was the best."

David lets out a breath, there was still so much about his daughter that he didn't know that made him so curious, especially when he hears about some of the hijinks that she got up to.  
The group quickly focus back on Hook as the shadow screeches again and flies towards them again.

Hook quickly nods confirming that he wasn't going to change his mind, he wouldn't admit it but he needed to do this, he wouldn't let Buffy's best friend or her father risk getting hurt, it would crush the wound. And Henry needed his father, so that just left him.  
"Aye, if it's the only way to prevent this bloody curse from obliterating us all, then it's a risk I'm willing to take."  
Tink frowns for a moment "I thought you'd only risk your life for love or revenge?"

At that Xander frowns, Buffy really had found herself in another love triangle because it was very clear which one this risk was for. Xander groans slightly, that girl gets three love triangles in her lifetime and he gets chained to the ceiling by demon women, his life was so unfair.

"One other important thing—" Hook tells the fairy "Me." He says before climbing over the bench and into the view of shadow.

Xander quickly turns and glances around the room as Hook taunts the shadow, spotting a chandelier he quickly grabs the blade from his jacket and steps forward.  
With Hook distracting the shadow Xander quickly cuts the rope holding the chandelier down and as the shadow sends Hook flying across the floor Xander cuts the rope causing the fire lit candles on it to injury the shadow who howls, screaming in agony.

"Nice one." David says as he turns to his daughter's best friend, this was one that he was very much going to get along with.  
Xander grins before turning to Tink "So Bells? Can I call you Bells?" At her glare, he gulps "Okay Tink. Can you trap it?"  
"I'm not a fairy anymore." She tells him much to his horror "I don't exactly have my wings."  
Neal sighs "We need to get up there, it's injured it's not gonna be coming back down near enough for us to trap it."  
"I can't." Tink argues.  
"But you have pixie dust."

As they speak Xander thinks back to the terrible sequel that was made to the animation, he might as well use his TV knowledge to his best use "You need to believe right?" When she nods he smiles "Well take it from a guy who as a kid believed because of you...you can do it."

Tink glances at him for a moment before taking a brave breath and moving out of the benches and into the centre of the room. Taking the pixie dust in her palms she closes her eyes, trying to believe, in magic, in herself, in the people who believed in her. She tried to feel for the magic, and slowly the muscle memory in her wakes up and the pixie dust glows before surrounding her.

She smiles in shock, she had done it, she could use her magic again, turning to Neal she quickly takes the coconut and closes her eyes imagining and willing the candle to light.  
Almost nervously she opens her eyes once more and smiles brightly as the candle was now lit with a strong flame, flying upwards she goes towards the shadow and traps it for the final time.

Xander watches in amazement as _the_ Tinker Bell lowers herself from the sky before throwing the shadow in the bowl of fire by a set of chairs.  
Xander lets out a breath, he had seriously just watched Tinker Bell fly around in her green dress and save the day "That was awesome!" he exclaims causing the three other men to turn and stare at him before they all moved around to Tink.

"You are way more badass..." Xander starts only to have David drag him away "I think you have creeped her out enough for one day."  
Xander moves to argue but pouts and nods at Buffy's father "You know, I like you a lot more than her other dad."  
David chuckles "Good to know."

Hook watches in amusement as the idiot fan is dragged away from Tink, he shakes his head slightly, Buffy's friends really were from another world.  
Slowly he turns to the beaming Tink "Look who's still a fairy."  
"Look who's still a pirate." She teases before smiling "You were right."  
Hook chuckles only to wince and have to grab his sore ribs "Well, I lost a hand once. This is nothing."

Tink smirks, he was doing it again, denying it, denying what was so obvious "For the record..." She says as she crosses her arms and lowers her voice so that Neal wouldn't hear her, she didn't want to make an already complicated situation worse "...I know why you risked your life back there and it wasn't for yourself or revenge. It was for Buffy."  
Hook freezes for a moment a small smile threatening to break free but then he catches Neal in his gaze and looks down.

"You did well, Green." A voice says from behind them causing them all to term only to gasp as they spot Blue now stood very much behind them.  
Xander gulps slightly "Wasn't that woman dead."  
"Aya she was." Hook says as he walks over to Scooby "Welcome to our world."  
Xander groans "I don't know if I like it." He sighs for a moment before glancing at the pirate, despite being a pirate and sounding a hell of a lot like Spike he could see something in this guy that genuinely cared for Buffy.

"I've known Buffy for 11 years. She can be stubborn. But she also sees the best in people and when they try..." Xander pauses and glances at the pirate's hand that was still hovering over his ribs "...she notices."  
Hook arches a brow, of all things he had expected from this man, a kind word was not one of them "I am a pirate." He points out.  
Xander shrugs "Still better than a vampire. I'll put in a good word." He tells Hook shocking him even more, however quickly Xander glares at him without turning away from the group, trying not to draw their attention away from Blue as she handed them the black fairy's wand "But know this pirate. You hurt her I'll throw your brit ass into the remains of the Hellmouth and I'm sure there are some crawlies still creeping around that will dig all that leather."

"Go. Save us all." Blue tells them as she hands them the Black Fairy's Wand.  
The group all nod and head for the door, they needed to get the wand to the others and soon, God knows how long Willow could hold off the curse.

As they move Hook glances at what was basically Buffy's big brother and asks a question that had been plaguing him since she had brought it up.  
"Speaking of The Slayer, mate. What exactly is a perm?"  
At that Xander laughs out loudly "Dude, trust me, you don't wanna know.

* * *

Buffy runs a hand through Henry's hair as they sit on the bed with Dawn and Regina. Buffy was panicking, the guys still weren't back with the wand and they were running out of time, at any moment Willow would show up and tell them the curse was coming and that they were out of time.  
Suddenly the drapes open from the main portion of the shop and in steps David and the others "Blue's back..." David says shocking everyone "She gave us the wand."  
Buffy, despite her confusion over Blue being back, turns to Gold "What else do we need?"

Gold moves over to one of the cupboards and opens it "Just one more item." He says as he pulls out a black leather cuff.  
"What is that?" Snow asks.  
Dawn frowns in confusion "Why is a bracelet so important?"  
"Because Miss Summers this is the only useful thing left for us from the people that took Henry to Pan. It renders anyone with magic utterly powerless." Gold tells her as he moves over to Henry crouching down in front of him.

Buffy frowns "How can we be sure it will work?"  
Xander nods in agreement, most people who create a weapon that can be used against them, make sure to have a get out of jail free card.  
"Buffster's right." Xander says "Most big bads tend to be prepared when their own weapons are used against them."  
Gold sighs "Unfortunately, we cannot be sure. But I'm almost certain it will work. It would work on myself." Gold turns to his grandson "Let me see your wrist, Henry."  
Taking Henry's wrist he carefully places the cuff on "I wanna make sure that when my dear old dad wakes, that he's weakened. This will block his powers."

Xander raises his hand in confusion "Did I just hear that Peter Pan is Rumplestiltskin father's...how...what.. ?"  
Buffy sighs and taps her friend on the knee "I'll explain later, Xander."  
Henry chuckles slightly before turning back to Gold "So what happens now?"  
"I enact the spell..." Gold tells him "...you fall into a deep sleep and when you awake, you're back in your own body."  
Regina turns to Henry "And then you hang on to that scroll, and you come find us as fast as you can."

Henry sighs and looks at his mothers and his aunt "When I gave my heart to Pan...I thought I was being a hero. But Aunt Dawn made something clear to me...I don't need to try and be like you all to be a hero. I'm sorry."  
Dawn smiles and taps her nephew's back before moving to stand by Xander who nudges her slightly "You still weirded out?"  
"Totally." She whispers.

Gold sighs and glances down at the Black Fairy's wand, it had been such a long time since he had seen this "It time."  
Both Buffy and Regina quickly back away allowing Henry to lie down while Gold stands over him with the wand.  
"Keep your eye on the wand."

As Gold moves the wand over her son Buffy takes a deep breath, she was scared, the last time she had seen a body swap, she had been part of it and it hadn't exactly gone well.  
When Henry suddenly begins shaking and convulsing violently Buffy feels her heart tighten and she felt like she had to gasp for breath "What's happening?"  
Gold slowly backs away as he explains "Henry's spirit is leaving Pan's body."

Buffy continues to watch praying for it to end, she takes a relieved breath as Henry finally stops shaking.  
"Did it work?" Dawn asks.  
When Gold nods Buffy grabs the scythe of her back and twirls it "Let's go find our son."

* * *

Several Years Ago – San Fransisco

Buffy groans in agony as she drags her bleeding leg with her as she moves to lean against the wall, she could hear the alarms going off around her, she knew she didn't have long till the rest of the guards showed up, her arm was busted and she couldn't walk plus one of her eyes was beginning to swell, soon she wouldn't be able to see properly. She needed to get out of here now.

Grabbing the scythe she leans her head against the wall for a moment before the sound of deep breathing draws her attention.  
Glancing over at the man laid beside her she shakes her head, Chris was bleeding heavily out of his gut, he was gonna bleed out soon.

"Buffy..." Chris mumbles as he looks up at her a look of guilt filling his expression "I'm so sorry."

Buffy glances down at him before looking at the body of the man that he had just killed to protect her, but the problem was...she didn't trust him, he had drugged her, sent her here where she was tortured for hours and hours every day, he had brought her to hell and left her to rot.  
"I owed Crystal." Chris tells her "She saved my life. I had to."

Buffy scoffs if he had done this to protect someone maybe she could understand, but he had made her trust him, manipulated her.  
Buffy gasps in pain again as the bullet in her shoulder shifts, she didn't have long now, she could hear the heavy boots of the guards running towards them from down the hall, and she could hear the click of Crystal's heels.

"We have to get out of here." Chris tells her "The exit is down the hall, you've taken out all the guards in the area, it should be abandoned, we can get out of here. I have contacts that will help us..." He pauses before crying out in pain, he couldn't move not without his intestines falling out, "Help me." He begs her.

Buffy grits her teeth as she clutches the wall attempting to pull herself out, as she stands she leans against the wall for a brief moment before limping slightly, she needed to run but it was going to hurt like hell.  
Glancing down at Chris she stares at the bloody hand he was reaching out towards her.

In that moment her mind was made up, she glances down at the hall, it was filled with the bodies of the men she had killed, the men she had murdered with her own hands. Her hands were tainted now...they were dripping with blood and a darkness in her had been awoken, one she knew she would now struggle with for the rest of her life.

She glares down at him for a moment before backing away letting his hand fall to the ground "Goodbye Chris."

Slowly she begins running ignoring his cries and screams, clenching her jaw she runs forward and when she spots a man by the exit she swings the scythe slicing through his gut. As his body topples over, blood dripping from his body Buffy kicks down the door, a new sense of energy filling her.

She winces as the light hits her but then runs, ignoring the grunts of Chris being beating by the guards before finally he succumbs to his wounds.  
She knew it was him, she didn't have to see it, she could feel it, she could hear it, hear his breathing stop completely.

Her eyes darken and a cold look covers her face, she was done, done with emotion, done with trust, all that mattered now was vengeance.

* * *

Storybrooke, Maine - Present Day

Willow groans as another wave of the magic from the other world hits her, it felt like it was attacking her system, trying to shut her and her magic down.

It was powerful, more powerful than anything she had ever felt, this was pure magic, magic from a world that was built around it, it was strong and scary and it accelerating. There was a part of her that was so curious about this magic, wanted to dive right in and figure out as much as she could about how it worked, but the saner part of her was cautious. It was uncontained and strong. It could destroy the realms and tear them apart.

"Ahh!" Faith cries out as she drops to her knees, it felt like Willow was draining every ounce of power inside her.  
Willow groans as another wave of magic hits her but this time it was too much, it wouldn't be long now, one more hit and her barrier would break. The green smoke from the well was already begging to tear apart the red barrier and was slowly seeping through.

* * *

"I've got his scent!" Granny says as the group run through the town square in search of Henry.  
Buffy glances around, but still, there was no sign of him, she was worried, what if Felix had been with him when the spell happened, what if Henry was hurt...thoughts were continuing to run through her head driving her insane with worry.

"This is the most normal thing that has happened since we got here." Xander points out as they run, it was like when Oz used to be able to track them all with smell, it was honestly the first thing in this town that hadn't sent him on a whirlwind ride yet.

As they run that's when Buffy notices where they were heading, the place where it had all begun.  
"The tower?" Mary Margaret asks, voicing her thoughts.  
"Yeah." Granny confirms as they get closer.  
Suddenly out of the library doors comes Henry, Buffy's eyes widen in relief, there was no sign of injury, he was safe.

"Henry!" She yells as she and Regina run forward ahead of the others catching Henry in their arms, clutching him for dear life. It felt like so long since they had seen him.  
"It's me." He assures them as he hugs his mothers tightly "It worked."  
Buffy smiles and merely clutches him harder, trying really hard not to crush him with her strength,

Henry couldn't help but chuckle they had only seen him a few minutes ago "Mom, mom, I just saw you guys. You guys just saw me."  
Finally, the two women pull away, rather reluctantly, as they do Regina smiles "But we didn't see _you._ "

Buffy smiles but quickly notices the scroll in Henry's hands taking it from him she turns to Regina "We got it. It's up to you now."  
Regina nods before quickly taking the scroll, however, suddenly it glows a bright purple making Regina feel very lightheaded and before she could do anything everything goes black.

Buffy quickly catches Regina as she falls and carefully lays her down on the ground "Regina!" Buffy yells in panic, she couldn't understand what had just happened.

* * *

Gold watches as Pan's breathing returns to normal, he continues to stare at him as his eyes open and he lays there, unmoving.  
"Thought you'd have killed me in my sleep, laddie." Pan says as he exhales before pulling himself up to face his son "I guess you've changed your..." Pan pauses and inhales deeply as he finds himself staring at the cuff around his wrist "Oh, wait. I see. You've taken away my magic. That's why it's so easy for you to strut around and pose now, isn't it?"

Gold merely stands there his expression still blank, he would not be phased by his father's words "I wanted to talk to you. I wanted you to see me and think about what you've done."

Pan couldn't help but scoff in amusement "Of course. To look at my son here at the end, and really see him and think about what might've been. Is that what you want? Because I do—I remember looking at you, the littlest babe, helpless and all mine. Those big, big eyes just full of tears, pulling at me, pulling away my name, my money, my time. Pulling away any hope of making my life into something better for myself. This pink, naked, squirming little larva that wanted to eat my dreams alive and never stop. Wh-what are you now? A-a couple hundred? Can't I be free of you?"

Gold who had stayed silent as he listened to the man who had once been his father, tear him down with his words glares at him for a moment before grabbing the sword on the table "Oh, you will be...in death."  
Pan stares at the point of the sword before looking up at his son, it was time for one last father-son discussion "Then one last lesson, son. Never make a cage you can't get out of."

Before Gold could even process what was happening, Pan yanks off the cuff, he was free he had magic. Gold couldn't help but back away as suddenly the cuff was on him. It was fair to say he hadn't seen that coming.

* * *

"Ahhh!" Willow cries out as another wave of the curse hits her, it was getting stronger, fighting against her, trying to break free.  
She clenches her eyes shut as the power seems to begin draining her, it was too much, blood was dripping down her nose, she wouldn't be able to contain this.

"Red!" Faith yells as another wave of pain goes through her, she could see that it was too late, they couldn't stop it.  
Willow looks over at the Slayer before sighing, Willow clenches her jaw before giving one more final thrust of magic, forcing the curse down once more before her barrier broke. Collapsing to the ground she gasps for air loudly as she tries to build her strength back up.

"Come on." Faith says as she yanks Willow onto her feet and begins dragging her "Run!"  
Willow runs with Faith but not before glancing back to see the green smoke begin falling over the well "It's coming."

* * *

"Regina!" Buffy yells as she shakes the brunette desperately, this was really not the best time for her to be down for the count "Regina!"  
Suddenly Regina's eyes snap open and she clutches the scroll in her hands, she now knew what she had to do, looking up she spots the blonde who was staring at her with worry "Buffy." She whispers as the blonde in question helps her up before looking at her seriously.  
"You okay? What in the what happened?"

Regina who was still in shock shakes her head "Yes, I'm fine. It was just..." She pauses the reality of the situation and what she had to do hitting her, this was going to crush her.  
"What is it?" Snow asks "What happened when you touched it?"  
Regina blinks back tears "I saw what needed to be done." Her eyes then fall on Henry a heartbroken look crossing her face, she really didn't want to do this.

"Mom, a-are you gonna be okay?" Henry asks, he was worried, he didn't want to lose anyone.  
Regina smiles at her son "The important thing is..." She leans forward and touches his chin "...you will be."  
Regina gasps however as suddenly the scroll disappears from her hands.

"No, he won't."

Buffy's eyes widen as she spots Pan now cuff free moving towards them, her and Regina quickly pull Henry back, Buffy also pushing Dawn behind her, if Pan touched either of them she would find a way to end him.  
Before any of them could do anything, however, Pan raises his hand immobilising all of them.

He raises the curse in his hands and smiles victoriously "Look at you all." He says as he turns back to the frozen group "A captive audience. I could play with you like a pack of dolls, couldn't I?"

Buffy attempts to glare at him but she couldn't move, she couldn't change her facial expression she was just frozen, forced to watch as Pan tortured them with his words.  
She watches as he walks over to Neal and Belle "But I think I'll start with these two. Hmm, you both look so adorable. Hard to tell which one to kill first." Pan pauses for a moment before smirk covers his face really making Buffy want to punch it right off, "Not it isn't." Pan says as he faces Neal "You. You first."

"Stay away from them." Gold growls suddenly as he appears from behind Pan and yanks on his shoulder pulling him away from his son.  
Pan couldn't help but chuckle, the coward was on his feet and fighting back even without his magic "Well, how about this. The worm has teeth. What, you're here to pwotect your wuved ones?"  
Gold glares at Pan, he was done with his games, he just wanted this over with "I'm not going to let you touch either one of them."  
"Oh, I'd like to see that."  
"Oh, you will. Because I have a job to finish and I have to do it, whatever it takes. No loopholes."

As Gold speaks saying his final goodbyes to Belle and Neal Buffy attempts to reach for the scythe, hoping that the power within it would help break through this hold. However, as the sound a shrieking shadow fills her ears she freezes, as flying towards Gold was his shadow with his dagger.

Buffy's eyes finally widen as she watches Gold hold onto Pan whispering into his ear, she could hear him every word, he was going to die, he was willing to die for all of them.  
She gulps slightly as she watches Gold stab Pan violently in the back forcing the child back into his original form, back to the person he was before he became Peter Pan.

"Ah but I'm a villain." Gold tells his father "And villains don't get happy endings."

All of them watch as Gold twists the knife in his father's back causing a bright light to cover them before finally, they disappear from view.  
They were gone.  
Dead.  
And nothing was left except the scroll where they had once been stood.

Buffy couldn't help but glance over at Neal sympathetically, his father had just died in front of him, she felt for him, no one should be forced to suffer through that.

"Regina?" Mary Margaret asks drawing everyone's attention to Regina as she grabs the scroll from the ground, however, the only person that doesn't turn was Belle who was still sobbing uncontrollably on the ground.

Buffy quickly moves away from her sister, making sure that she stayed close to Henry before she went over to Neal "I'm sorry." She tells him as she squeezes his shoulder, she wasn't sure what to do or say, she hadn't dealt with a lot of other people's emotions in such a long time.  
Neal nods and gulps, his voice breaking slightly "My father did what he had to do." He struggles out the words "He saved us. Regina, don't let him die for nothing." When Regina doesn't speak Neal frowns "Regina."  
"What?" She says softly as she turns to them all.

Hook sighs "We're here for a reason, luv. Pan."  
"Is dead."  
"His curse remains." Hook reminds her "Can you stop it? Or should we all start preparing our souls? Cause mine's gonna take some time."

Buffy couldn't help but agree with that. Her own soul would need a lot of time as well, however, suddenly something hits her "Willow?"  
Xander's eyes widen "I haven't heard from her."

Buffy's eyes widen in panic but before she could even think about taking off in a run a red ball of smoke appears in front of them and as it disappears Faith and Willow appear both looking worse for wear.

Buffy and Xander quickly make their way over helping their friends as they do Willow turns to Regina "I held it off as long as I could...it's too strong. It's coming! It will come from all sides. It's moving fast."  
Buffy turns to her best friend and frowns at the blood on Willow's face, she wraps an arm around her friend holding her up before turning to Regina, they needed to do this and now, there was no more time.

"It's not too late." David asks Regina hoping beyond hope that it was true "We can still stop it, right? Regina?"  
Buffy frowns, something was wrong, Regina was quiet and reserved, whatever she had seen had stricken her, Buffy sighs before passing Willow to Dawn who helps her allowing Buffy to head over to Regina.  
"Regina?"

"Yes." Regina nods before looking down "Yes."  
Buffy nods "Okay...price...that's what we're missing, what's our price, what do we do?"  
Regina turns to face Buffy fully, it was time to tell her the truth "It's not our price. It's mine."  
Buffy frowns in confusion she didn't like the sound of this "What are you talking about?"

"It's what I felt when I...first held it." Regina tells the blonde as she stares at the scroll in her hands "I have to say goodbye to the thing I love most."

Buffy's eyes widen at that, they couldn't mean what she thought it meant "Henry?" She asks as Henry walks over to her and she wraps an arm around his shoulder.  
Regina nods a heartbroken look on her face, this was killing her inside "I can never see him again. I have no choice. I have to undo what I started."

Snow's eyes widen "The curse that brought us to Storybrooke."  
"That created Storybrooke." Regina tells her "It doesn't belong here. And neither do any of us."  
Dawn's eyes widen and she glances at Xander, both of them had the same look of panic, Buffy was about to leave for good this time, they were never going to see her again.

"Breaking the curse destroys the town." David realises.  
Regina nods "It will weave out of existence as though it were never here and everyone will go back to where they're from. Prevented from ever returning."

Dawn shakes her head, this couldn't happen, she had just gotten her sister back, she couldn't lose her again "What, no Buffy, no!"  
Buffy takes a deep breath and turns to her sister moving the hair out of her face "I love you Dawnie."  
"Buffy." Regina says softly drawing the blonde's attention away from her sister, Regina sighs she had to explain "All of us. Will go back except Henry."

Buffy's eyes widen and she moves back over to her son hugging him, she couldn't lose him now, he was the most important thing in her life, she couldn't let him be alone "He will stay here because he was born here."  
Buffy shakes her head, this couldn't be happening "Alone?" Although she knew her friends would take care of him she couldn't bear the thought of Henry being alone without the family he had known.

"No." Regina tells her "You will take him because you're the Savior. You were created to break the curse. And once again, you can escape it."  
Buffy's eyes widen, she was being forced to chose between two families, the family she had chosen, and the family she had found. She couldn't do that, there was still so much she wanted to know. So much she needed to learn, she couldn't lose anyone else.  
"I can't choose between two families."  
Regina looks at her sadly "There is no choice. You need to protect him, I can't be with him, if I don't pay the price, none of this will work."

Suddenly a loud roar of thunder fills their ears, Willow turns to Regina "It's coming, it won't be long."  
Mary Margaret looks over at her daughter sadly, she couldn't imagine what she was feeling right now, being forced to choose, but it wasn't really a choice. She was going to go with Henry, no matter what.  
"Buffy, you have to go."

Hook who was still standing slightly afar shoots his head in the direction of the blonde as he hears the princess' words, he didn't like this.

Buffy shakes her head, she couldn't ask her of this, she couldn't do this, she had just found her family and begun to open up to them, she couldn't lose them again "I just found you."  
Snow smiles sadly "And now it's time for you to leave us again. For your best chance, for his. You have your friends, you sister, you'll take care of each other."

Buffy shakes her head, no this couldn't be happening, she couldn't process this right now, she needed time "No. N-no, I-I..." She takes a deep breath "I can't do this. I can't find you and then get used to having parents again and a family...I'm not...done. I'm the Savior, I'm supposed to bring back all the happy endings right? There has to be a way."  
Snow looks at her daughter sadly, trying not to break "Happy endings aren't always what we think they will be. Look around you. You've touched the lives of everyone here."  
Buffy takes a shaky breath and looks at her mother and father, she couldn't lose another mom and dad, she couldn't not after all this time "But...we're a family."  
"Yes, and we always will be. You gave us that. But you need to go back to your old family."

David nods, he hated this but he knew it was right, they couldn't leave Henry alone, Buffy needed to be with him "You and Henry can be a family, all of you can." He says gesturing to Xander, Willow, Dawn and Faith before facing his daughter again "You can get your wish. You can have that tiny piece of normal within all the fighting. You can be happy."

Snow takes a shaky breath and looks at her beautiful daughter, she could not be more proud of the person she had become. "It's time for you to believe in yourself again, Buffy. It's time for you to find hope."

Regina turns to Buffy looking at the devastated blonde seriously "I've known you for some time, and all I've wanted was for you to get the hell out of my life so I can be with my son." She says smiling slightly "But, really, what I want..." As she speaks her voice breaks "...is for Henry to be happy. We have no choice. You have to go."

Buffy looks around at her family and friends that she had made her in Storybrooke, the people who had slowly helped piece her back together after all that she had lost. This was killing her inside but she knew what was right, for the first time in a long time, she knew it "Okay."

* * *

L.A – 11 Years Ago

Lena stroked the blonde's bruised face, she was still injured from the fight with the older vampire at the dance "Buffy, just keep breathing."  
Buffy shakes her head "I can't." She cries.  
"Shh." Lena soothes "You can do this."

"You're doing great." The doctor tells Buffy "Doing great. Here we go. Breathe. Breathe. Big breath. Okay, now big push! Big push."  
Buffy screams in agony as she finally pushes, after what felt like an eternity she flops back down against the bed not notices the lights in the room flicker.  
The doctor stands now holding the newborn baby "Great. Here we go. Beautiful."

Buffy hears the crying and her eyes widen, she slowly turns to the doctor and spots the baby in his arms "It's a boy, Buffy." He tells her.  
Before Buffy can say anything Lena walks over and turns to the doctor "Give me the boy." She says the doctor hands the baby over. As he does Lena turns to both him and the nurse "Leave now. Forget what happened."

The two nods before simply leaving the room, Buffy looks over at Lena "Lean, please." She begs.  
Lena sighs sadly "My dear, you and your watcher discussed this, it's not safe for him."  
Tears run down Buffy's face "Just...just let me hold him once."

* * *

Storybrooke, Maine – Present Day

Buffy places the scythe in her car before hugging her sister, her sister looks at her sadly "I'm sorry you have to do this, Buffy."  
Buffy merely nods, she couldn't speak, she felt like she couldn't breathe, she merely smiles sadly before closing the boot of the car, she watches as Xander climbs into the backseat while Dawn leans against the car, she was going to be sat up front with her and Henry. Buffy glances around looking for Willow only to spot her still speaking to Regina.

As she climbs into the car Faith glances at Buffy "Yo, B."  
Buffy frowns and turns to her fellow Slayer "What?"  
Faith smirks slightly before gesturing to Hook who was looking extremely upset by the whole situation "Who's the smoking hot pirate that's got eyes for you?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes, this was really not the time for this "Later Faith."  
"B." Faith calls as Buffy begins walking away with Henry "Oh come on, I want all the dirty details."  
"Never gonna happen."  
"Oh come on."  
"No."  
Faith glares at her before mumbling under her breath only to have Xander yank her into the car, they needed to give Buffy her space right now.

:

Buffy runs over to her parents hugging them both tightly, as she leans into the embrace she clenches her eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears, she had cried too much over the past 24 hours, but right now she felt like the tears weren't going to stop if she started again.

:

Willow glances back at Buffy and Henry before turning back to Regina "Are you sure about this?"  
Regina nods at the witch, as much as it killed her she needed to make sure this worked "Yes. Can you do it?"  
Willow glances over at her friends before looking at the heartbroken Buffy once more "When we cross the town line." She says with a nod "I'll sync it with your spell."  
Regina smiles the smile not quite reaching her eyes "Thank you."  
Willow smiles at her, feeling horrible for the situation she was being put into "Say goodbye to your son." She says as she notices Henry walking over, she gives Regina another smile before heading over to Buffy's car, getting ready to cast the spell Regina had asked her to, one she hadn't used in such a long time.

:

As Buffy reluctantly heads over to Neal, finally letting go of her father's hand Dawn quickly walks over to them "David, Mary Margaret."  
The two parents turn to their daughter's sister trying to hide the broken expressions on their faces, they were being forced to give up their daughter again and it was clear that it was killing them.  
Dawn looks at them nervously for a moment before sighing "Thank you."  
David and Snow both frown in confusion at the young girl, "What do you mean?" David asks her.

Dawn takes a deep breath before smiling at them "For putting a light back in my sister, for bringing back to life. It's been gone for so long, maybe before San Fransisco, maybe it's been since we lost our mom, but you two have done something I never could. You gave her back her light, you and Henry. You gave her a reason to want to live. Helped her breath again."  
Dawn takes a deep breath, she was getting very emotional right now, which wasn't fair to them "Thank you for giving me back my sister."

David and Snow squeeze each other's hand before smiling at the young girl, it was nice to know that Buffy would have a family that loved her while they were gone.  
Mary Margaret steps forward and hugs Dawn "Take care of my daughter."  
Dawn pulls back and wipes a tear from her eyes before nodding "I will." She says before smiling once more and heading to the car.

:

"Neal..." Buffy starts a bit unsure of what to say, she had been the one to bring him back here and now he was being sent back to the one place he never wanted to return him "I'm sorry."  
Neal smiles at her "Don't be." He tells her before glancing at their son as he approaches "You gotta get our boy the hell out of here."  
Buffy sighs and looks at him sadly, she knew that he was trying to hide his grief "And now you're going back to the one place, you never wanted to."  
"Yeah, I am."

Buffy takes a deep breath and after a brief hesitation she steps forward and hugs Neal, shocking him, she wasn't really the most open when it came to her emotions. But still, he hugged her back, hating that this was the last time he would see her.  
"Hey." He says as he pulls away and looks at her and Henry "This isn't over. I'll see both of you again."

Buffy smiles at him before giving the father and son a moment, she needed to breathe, all of this, all of the goodbyes, it felt like she was suffocating.  
She moves towards her car only to be stopped by Hook as he places his hand on her arm turning her towards him.

Hook looks at her nervously before nodding at her car "That's quite the packed vessel you captain there, Slayer."  
Buffy smiles sadly "It's a good thing I'm small, other wise I'd be sat on the roof." She jokes before wiping her eyes slightly, she was trying so hard not to cry right now.  
She blinks back tears before looking up at Hook, their eyes connecting, that connection between them making her catch her breath for a moment as he looks at her.  
"There's not a day will go by I won't think of you." He tells her making her breathing go shallow.

She couldn't help it, there was something there, she felt it, despite the fact that she didn't want to "Good. I'll be real pissed if I find out otherwise." She says sweetly.  
He smiles at her one last time before reluctantly backing away from her, the only woman since Milah that had made him feel anything.

Buffy takes a deep breath and moves over to her car only to again be stopped, but this time by Regina "Buffy...there's something I haven't told you."  
Buffy sighs, she couldn't take anything else right now, one more thing and that would be it, it would end her "What now?"  
"When the curse washes over us, it will send us all back. Nothing will be left behind...including your memories." At that Buffy's eyes widen "It's just what the curse does. Storybrooke will no longer exist. It won't ever have existed. So these last years will be gone from both your memories and we just go back to being stories again."

Buffy takes a deep breath, she wouldn't remember any of it, wouldn't remember that she was adopted, wouldn't remember any of it, what if she didn't remember meeting Henry "What does that mean? If I don't remember Henry bringing me here then..."  
"I don't know." Regina tells her honestly, she had no idea what would happen once they crossed that line "It may not be a happy ending, but...I can give you one."  
Buffy frowns in confusion "I don't...I don't understand."  
Regina takes a deep breath "I can...do what I did to everyone else in this town...and give you new ones."

Buffy arches a brow, Regina seemed to be forgetting the part where she had made these people's lives a living hell "You do remember you separated them all and they hated their lives right?"

Regina tilts her head "They didn't have to." Regina smiles at her and takes her hand looking at the blonde who had become her first real friend seriously "My gift to you...is good memories, a good life for you..." She pauses and turns to Henry holding out her hand towards him.

As Henry takes her hand for the last time Regina turns back to Buffy "And Henry. You'll have never given him up." Buffy takes a gasping breath at the idea of it, Regina looks at her seriously "I'll take away San Francisco."  
Buffy's eyes widen at that "You'd do that."

Regina blinks back her own tears and nods "Yes. You'll have a happy life. You and Henry..." She pauses her voice breaking as she speaks "You'll have always been together." She takes a final breath before looking at her seriously "Willow will sync up the other's memories with yours. Henry would have been in all their lives with you. Grown up with them. That's what they will remember. When I stop Pan's curse, and you cross that town line, you and your friends...you will have the life you always wanted."

Buffy takes a deep breath, this was everything she had ever wanted, to have one normal thing in her life, something she shared with her family. A life with her friends and her son, a life where she wasn't tortured and turned into a cold killer. Where she could just be Buffy.  
But something in the back of her mind refused to believe it because it wouldn't be real, "But it won't be real."  
"Well, your past won't. But your future will." Regina reminds her before inhaling sharply "Now go. There isn't much time left and the curse will be here any minute."

As Henry hugs Regina goodbye Buffy looks at her "Thank you, for being my friend."  
Regina lets out a small breath "Thank you for being my first friend in a long time."  
Buffy squeezes her hand once more before looking back at the people of Storybrooke.

As she does she couldn't move she felt paralysed, she didn't want to leave them, she couldn't.  
As she remains there tears rolling down her cheeks Snow approaches her and cups her cheeks in her palms.  
Snow smiles at her daughter for the final time, soaking up every inch of her face before she pulls her forward and kisses her forehead.  
Buffy gasps slightly and looks at her mother with tears in her eyes before she takes Henry hands and backs away climbing into the car with others.

Henry climbs into the seat beside Dawn while Buffy puts the car into drive, tears rolling down her cheeks as they drive towards the town line.  
Henry looks back and watches as Regina breaks the scroll and fills the town the with a purple smoke before finally, they pass the town line.

Buffy sighs as she drives down the highway, before glancing at her son who smiles at her, she smiles back before thinking about what had happened 11 years ago.

 _Lena sighs sadly "My dear, you and your watcher discussed this, it's not safe for him."  
_ _Tears run down Buffy's face "Just...just let me hold him once."  
_ _Lena shakes her head she moves to leave the room but she felt something come over her as she looked at the crying girl, perhaps just once would be enough.  
_ _Stepping over to the young girl she places the baby boy in her hands before backing away._

 _Buffy stares at the little boy in her hands, he was hers, her son, her baby, she couldn't help but smile, he was perfect. Looking up at Lena with begging eyes she prayed for the woman to understand, she couldn't give him up, not now.  
_ _Lena sighs "We'll find a way to protect him...but first you should probably tell your mother."_

Buffy shakes her head in amusement as she remembers her mother's reaction to baby Henry, to say Buffy had been grounded for a long time was an understatement.  
She looks over at her son who had a sad look on his face, Giles had been like a grandfather to him and now he was gone.  
"So what now Buffster?" Xander asks from the backseat.  
Buffy sighs for a moment, she still hadn't read the letter Giles had given her but she wasn't ready yet "We go home."

* * *

Two Weeks Later – Westbury, England

Buffy stands in front of the mirror in her room as she puts on her earrings, as she lowers her hands she sighs as she looks at herself in the mirror, it was almost time, almost time to bury the man who had basically adopted her as his own. The man who had trained her, cared for her, helped her.  
Buffy takes a deep breath before tucking her long blonde hair behind her ear and adjusting her black cashmere coat.  
( /images/2qMysZ)  
Unfortunately a lot of her and Henry's things had been destroyed during the fire in Boston but for now it didn't matter.

"Mom?" Henry calls as he enters the room in his black and white suit, Buffy turns to her son and smiles slightly, he had really grown up so fast.  
Walking over to him she bends down in front of him and places her hands on his arms, patting down the suit "Hey kiddo. You all ready?"  
Henry nods allowing her to quickly fix his tie before looking at her seriously "Mom?"  
"Yeah." She asks as she looks at her son, moving the hair out of his face.

Henry hesitates for a moment before pulling the letter Buffy had left down stairs out of his pocket "I think you should read it before we go."

Buffy sighs, they had been having this talk for the past two weeks, she wasn't ready to read the letter yet "Henry..."  
"Mom, come on. Before we say goodbye, listen to his. Gramps would want you to."  
Buffy lets out a small breath as she smiles, he had always called Giles that, despite how much it had annoyed the Watcher. She takes a deep breath before wiping the tears from her eyes and taking the letter "I'll be down in a minute." She tells him before kissing the top of his head "Go tell Xander to get the car ready."

Henry nods and heads for the door but pauses before he leaves, he looks back at her with tears in his eyes before moving over to her and hugging her.  
Buffy takes a shaky breath and hugs her son, today was going to be difficult on both of them.  
"I miss him too." Henry tells her as he pulls away.

Buffy tilts her head and looks at him sadly "I know. So do I." She cups Henry chin in her palm before smiling sadly and quickly fixing her mascara "Alright go on. I'll be down in a minute."

Henry nods and heads out the room, as he does Buffy raises the letter, she was terrified still of reading his final words. Taking a deep breath she moves to sit on her window seal, she sits there for a moment before finally giving herself the courage to open the letter in her hands and read Giles' words.

 _Dearest Buffy_

 _If you are reading this, then I'm gone, I hope to God that I will be able to burn this letter and that we can have this conversation face to face because there is so much that I need to say. But I can feel it, you will be reading this, questioning everything that has happened._

 _Do not let these thoughts plague you, Buffy, you are too strong for it, you have the strongest heart of any person I have ever known. And I am so sorry for the troubles that happened between us, I wish I could go back and change it so that we could have had more time._

 _Quinten Travers was right, I have always had a fatherly love for you, you are the closest thing I have ever had to a daughter, and the idea of not getting to watch you grow into an amazing mother for your son and grow into the strong leader I know you are destined to be kills me. But even without me there I know you will achieve these things because despite what you said to me all those years ago, about not knowing what was right, and how you were unsure of how to live in this world, I can tell you that without a second thought that you do know what is right in your heart, you need to trust your belief and your heart. They will lead you far._

 _I am so proud of you, my Slayer, you were better than I could have possibly imagined. And I will always be with you Buffy, trust me on that.  
_ _I regret that I will not get to watch you grow as a person and a mother and a human being._

 _I regret that I will not get to see that strong boy of yours become an amazing and strong person just like his mother, except one with more of an appreciation for literature._

 _One last thing Buffy, I want you to run the Watcher's Council, run the Slayers, you are ready for this, I truly believe that you can be a great leader from whatever corner of the earth you are on. These girls look up to you for a reason, do not doubt yourself...become the person you were always meant to be._

 _Our hope.  
_

 _Our Savior._

 _Love Always,_

 _Giles_

Buffy lets the letter drop onto her lap as tears roll down her cheeks, everything hurt, it hurt too much to comprehend. He was gone, her mom was gone, so many people were gone, yet still, he believed in her, till his dying moments.  
Leaning her head against the wood she takes a deep breath, she would make him proud, she had to.

* * *

One Year Later – New York

"Dude no." Buffy tells Henry as he dumps his suitcase on her pile and runs towards the door.  
Henry chuckles and shrugs back at her "What is the point of having a mom with super strength if she won't carry everything?"

Buffy glares at him before tossing him his bag "Funny." She chuckles before moving him out of the way of the Apartment B door so she could unlock it "You have been spending way too much with your Uncle Xander. It's getting creepy."  
Henry rolls his eyes before picking up his suitcase and turning back to his mom "So when are we going to the office?"  
Buffy scoffs and turns back to her son, her hands on her hips "We? Since when are you coming with me?"

Henry copies her position and looks up at her, they were way too much alike for her liking sometimes "Come on. It's school break, it's just one meeting...plus I'm the Watcher in training, so I think I should go."  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement "Yes because bringing a 12-year-old to a meeting with the Slayer I have running the New York division is a brilliant idea. I'm the boss kid, not you."

Henry thinks for a moment, trying to find away around her logic, which he often did very easily, sometimes Buffy could never figure out how he was so smart, he definitely didn't get it from her.  
Henry smirks "Well if you're the boss, then I'm the heir to the boss, which makes me the second boss removed."  
Buffy opens her mouth to argue only to frown, he had really confused her there, she sighs before shaking her head "Na-ah. Not happening."

"But mom..." he moans in annoyance he had begged to come on this trip to New York for a reason, he found all the meetings about the Council fascinating, plus Dawn had promised to show him the massive library at the main building.  
"No." She tells him as she unlocks the door to council rented apartment and pushes it open before chucking her stuff inside.  
She then turns to Henry "You my weirdo little Watcher are going to go spend the day with Dawn."  
Henry pouts but follows her inside the apartment before moving to sit on the white leather couch.  
Buffy sighs and looks over at her son "Plus...I've been thinking, we're in the states so much...might be an idea to have a look at a few schools while we're here."

Henry's eyes widen in shock but he suddenly jumps up and down excitedly "New York! We're moving here!" As much as he loved living in London it was a bit boring sometimes plus his school totally sucked.  
Buffy nods her head before gesturing to his bag "Go unpack. Then we'll go get some food and discuss the possibility more. I don't cook."

Henry laughs and grabs his bag heading down the hall to his room, as he does he glances back at her "And I'm very glad for that!" he says before shutting the door behind him.  
Buffy's jaw slacks in shock "I can make toast!"  
"Yeah, burnt toast!" Henry yells back before music fills his room.  
Buffy shakes her head in shock, but she couldn't help but laugh, he was completely right, her mom had been the cook in the family, Buffy had just broken stuff.  
She shakes her head and pulls off her leather jacket tossing it on the couch before untying her hair.

She moves over to her suitcase and groans, she really hated unpacking more so the packing part of it.  
Luckily for her, there was a knock at the door, she frowns in confusion for a moment Dawn wasn't meeting them for a few more hours.

She stands and heads for the door pulling it open only to be faced with an unfamiliar face. It was a tall dark haired man with stubble on his face, he was wearing a long black leather jacket, and despite being very handsome he looked completely ridiculous in her opinion, it looked like he was dressed as a pirate.

As the door opens Hook's eyes widen as he spots her, her hair was shorter now, falling just above her shoulders in small curls. She was here, after all of this time, he had found her, and she was still as strong and beautiful as he remembered. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of her "Slayer. At Last."  
Buffy's eyes widen and she quickly grabs the knife from under the coffee table by the door and holds it up towards him "Who are you?!" She hisses "I really don't like it when creepy crawlies show up unannounced."

"Buffy." Hook tries "I'm not what you think I am." He says knowing that she most probably thought he was one of the creatures from this world "Look, I need your help. Something's happened, something terrible. Your family is in trouble."

Buffy continues to glare at the man, he had tried to get into her home and was threatening her family "Look guyliner, my family is right here. Now explain, who the hell you are before I punch it out of you."  
Hook sighs desperately "I'm an old friend. I know you can't remember me, but..." Hook pauses knowing this was not going to go well but he couldn't resist, not after a year "...I can make you."

Before Buffy can even process what he meant he grabbed her and kissed her.  
Her eyes widen and she instantly grabbed him by the neck and tossed him away from her causing him to hit the back wall painfully.  
"Okay, one...ew." She moans in disgust as she wipes her lips before reaching her hand for the emergency button on the wall by the door.

"Long shot." He breaths his voice strained and sore from her hold "I had to try. I was hoping you felt as I did."  
"You know what I feel?" She asks before slamming her hand on the red button "Bored."

Suddenly Willow's protective spell goes into gear dragging Hook out of the building and dumping him outside the building.  
Hook groans as he lands on the pavement outside "No." He breaths before standing and running back at the entrance only to be sent flying again, there was a forcefield blocking him from the building "No. Slayer! Slayer! Buffy!"


	64. London Calling

One-Year Ago

In the Enchanted Forest a purple smoke ingulfs the land filling it with magic, it spreads over the entire land before finally the storm ends and the smoke disappears leaving somthing in it's wake.

Snow blinks before looking down, her hair was longer and she was wearing a white gown, slowly a sad feeling hits her, they were back, they had been torn away from Buffy again.  
She glances over at her husband who was now wearing the bloody shirt that he had worn on their last day here, he looks at her with the same expression she wore before sighing.

"Snow..." A voice says drawing the Princess' attention, Snow turns only to see Aurora and Phillip staring at the group of them in shock "What happened?"  
"We're back."

* * *

Our World – One Week Ago – London England

"Copy that." Buffy whispers into her comms as she continue to climbs up the top of the BT tower, as the rope she was using wobbles she panics for a moment, glancing down she made sure it was still attached to her tactical gear ( /images/n7SnwF) before glancing back up to the top of the tower where Faith was stood holding the wire.

 _"_ _Sorry Princess."_ Faith mutters from the comms just as the hold on the wire tighten allowing Buffy to continue climbing.  
Buffy rolls her eyes, she really was not enjoying Faith's new nick name for her it was making her miss _B._

As she reaches the top level of the building she pauses and glances down at the dark city below here, it was three in the morning so hopefully no one would notice them, and anyone who did would be too drunk to notice.

Keeping a hand on the glass Buffy reaches for the scythe with her other hand, she was about to go up against a room full of demons and she would have to be quick.  
"Swing me in Faith."  
 _"_ _Still don't think this is fair."_ Faith moans, causing Buffy to roll her eyes, she had been complaining about the fact that Buffy had chosen to do this mission herself the whole way here.  
"Faith."  
 _"_ _Fine. But you so owe me a drink...ooh there's a bar around the corner from here, smoking hot guys, you could use a little unscrewing in the bolt of yours princess..."_

Buffy growls slightly, she did not have the time for this, she has hanging 100 feet in the air in front of a glass building, she did not want to talk about men right now "No, Faith."  
 _"_ _Oh come on, you know Slaying puts up in the mood for a bit of pow."  
_ Buffy rolls her eyes as she could imagine Faith thrusting her hips dramatically up on the roof "Faith, swing the rope."

Buffy sighs as she hears Faith grumbling something over the line before finally she gives her some leave. Buffy tugs on the rope before using her legs to push herself away from the glass.  
Making sure she had enough leverage she pushes with her legs as hard as she can sending her flying backwards before speeding towards the window.

Crashing through the glass Buffy lands on her knees, she twirls the scythe in her grasp and quickly detaches from the rope before examining the demons opposite her. Four demons and a human guard with a gun. Great.

As the human raises his gun Buffy's eyes widen, she quickly stands and kicks the table in front of her at the human knocking him down. She makes sure he was breathing before turning to the demons.

She uses the scythe to block the blades one of the demon's was shooting out of his hands, blocking one after the other before leaping up and slicing him in the gut with the scythe.  
She quickly spins around and swings the scythe again as two more demons run at her, as the scythe swings it slices through one before the stake end of the scythe ends up in the other.  
Spinning around she backhands the demon before yanking the stake out of him.

Kicking her leg out she kicks the demon coming up behind her in the stomach before swinging that same leg around again kicking the one coming towards her.  
She grabs him be the horns and slams his head against her knee before launching him out of the glass window.

As more demons enter the room Buffy slides across the floor slicing with the scythe as does, knocking down at least three of them.

As she comes to a stop a demon attempts to swing at her but she ducks out of the way before yanking on his arm, forcing him down to the ground and through the floorboards.  
Sensing someone coming up behind her, Buffy slides across the floor again and swings out her leg allowing her to knock another demon down before flipping back onto her feet.

She swings the scythe through the air catching one of the demon's in the arm, who grabs a hold of it yanking it from her grasp.  
Buffy growls slightly before leaping up and kicking him in the face however instead of going back to her feet she flips her body through the air causing her to land right next to the scythe.  
Yanking it back into her grasp she rolls over her shoulder bringing her back up onto her feet.

Leaping up she spins her body through the air driving the scythe into the neck of another demon before she forces the blade in the middle against the throat of another.

"Faith, now!" Buffy yells as she runs at the final demon kneeing him in the face before kicking him out of the window.  
As the glass shatters around him Buffy covers her eyes with the axe of the scythe before leaping through the window and grabbing onto the rope waiting there, allowing Faith to pull her up to the roof.

"Damn Princess." Faith hisses impressed as she grabs Buffy's hand and pulls her up the side of the building onto the roof.  
Buffy coughs slightly, completely exhausted and suddenly very hungry, slowly she looks up at her friend and smirks "I know."  
Faith chuckles before folding up all the rope and putting it back in the rucksack "Let's go get a drink."  
Buffy chuckles before pulling on her leather jacket as they headed for the roof exit, Faith knew what her answer would be "Can't it's a school night."

"You don't have school." Faith argues only to get a pointed look from Buffy causing the raven haired Slayer to roll her eyes "Since when does being a mom make you boring? Oh wait, always!"  
Buffy rolls her eyes, this conversation was getting more and more frequent between the pair "Faith, no."  
"Come on."  
"No."  
"But..."  
Buffy sighs "I'm not going to a club."

Faith growls slightly and turns to a blonde "You're 28 years old princess. Live a little."

Buffy pouts, she could be hip, when she wasn't working, or taking care of Henry "I do...a little." When Faith gives her an arched brow Buffy groans she was right, she had been a really party pooper later "I know. But I cannot leave Xand alone with my kid any longer, they are starting to blend into the same person. It's creepy."

* * *

"Slow ride...take it easy...!" Henry and Xander sing loudly as they play Rockband in the living room of the Summers household. It was a large penthouse apartment in central London, which near enough the whole gang lived.  
It was close to head quarters so it had just been decided that they should all live here, non of them truly wanting to separate.

As they play Xander suddenly leaps onto the black leather couch as he strumbs the guitar, Henry laughs before doing the exact same thing.

The two continue to sing loudly and very out of key till the end of the game, as the results appear on the screen Henry exclaims victorious while Xander stares in shock and drops his guitar to the ground. He had taught this kid how to play the game yet he had just beat him with flying colours.

"Oh yeah!" Henry cheers as he jumps down from the couch, "Whose the rock star now."  
Xander glares at him before grabbing him and throwing him over his shoulder "Admit you cheated."  
"Did not."  
"Did too."  
"Did not."  
"Did too!"

Henry rolls his eyes as Xander continues to dangle him upside down "Not my fault you suck at the game."  
Xander's eyes widen in disgrace "Oh, you're so..."

Suddenly the sound of someone clearing their throat makes both boys pause before Xander turns, with Henry still hanging over his shoulder, to face the woman.  
Buffy.  
This was not going to be good.

Henry grins up at him mom "Hi mom."  
Buffy couldn't help but let out a small chuckle before she crossed her arms "Henry. Xander..." She says sternly causing Xander to gulp "...put Henry down."

Xander's eyes widen and he quickly obliges and lowers the young boy "Yes Buff...Ma'am...I mean Buffy, I-I-we..." He begins babbling badly, Buffy never scared him more than when she went into mamma bear mode.

Henry snickers slightly only to have Buffy turn her eyes on him "Henry." She says sweetly "How much sugar did your uncle Xander give you?"  
Henry merely shrugs causing Buffy to sigh "Have you done your homework?"

Henry nods quickly "Yep, Will helped me before she left."  
Buffy lets out a small breath before moving over to her son "Alright kiddo, bed."  
Henry pouts and looks over at Xander "Good luck." He whispers before letting his mom lead him down the hall.

As they do Henry looks up at her "How did the mission go?"  
"Pretty Good." She tells him as she opens the door to his bedroom and pulls back his bedding letting him climb into bed.  
"I was totally Wonder Woman."  
Henry chuckles and looks at him mother seriously "Supergirl maybe but sorry mom, you couldn't pull of Wonder Woman, you wouldn't suit brunette."

Buffy's eyes shoot up before she frowns, she was slightly insulted "I so could."  
"Nope." Henry says with a shake of his head.  
Buffy rolls her eyes before kissing the top of his head "Goodnight Henry."  
"Night mom."

Buffy smiles and moves towards the doorway, as she does Henry quickly turns to her "Mom?"  
"Yeah?" She asks as she turns back to face him.  
"I was thinking maybe it's time you finally train me in weapons. You know so I can be like you."

Buffy sighs and looks at hims sadly, she was worried, he had been asking to start training with weapons for months and it scared her, it was bad enough that Dawn was allowed a weapon, Henry was a bigger klutz than she was.  
"Henry..."  
Noticing his mother's hesitance Henry sits up "You already train me in hand to hand so why can't I..."  
"I'll think about it." She assures him "Tomorrow. Goodnight Henry."

Henry sighs before flopping back onto the bed, as he does Buffy watches her son for a moment before heading out the room closing the door behind her.

She walks down the hall and crosses her arms as she comes to face the guilt redden Xander who quickly stands at her presence "Buffy..."  
"Jumping on the couch, eating more sugar than a little boy can handle..." She sighs before shaking her head "Xander..."  
"I know." Xander says with the roll of his eye, he knew that Henry wasn't supposed to be up this late but he loved being the cool uncle.

Buffy chuckles before sitting down on the couch "Faith reminded me I'm 28...almost 29 during the mission." She groans slightly before leaning against the couch "My kid makes me feel old. I'm not old right?"  
Xander chuckles and moves to sit beside her throwing an arm over her shoulders "No Buff, you are not old. A little vintage..." Buffy slaps his chest causing him to laugh "...look you're a 28 year old with a 12 year old kid. You're gonna feel old."  
Buffy sighs "Seriously how much sugar did you give my kid."

Xander couldn't help but laugh "That energy he has...that's not sugar Buff, that's all you. You raised him to be an awesome kid. Who understands the bro code to a tee. He wants to be like you, don't hold it against him."

* * *

Buffy taps down her dress ( /images/2G6CDc) as she walks into her office at the main Slayer Headquarters, she had just dropped Henry off at school and had been half tempted to batter half of the moms there. They always gave her a snotty nose, because she was a young single mother who worked full time.  
Sometimes she swore those women were worse than demons, they had an uncanny ability to make her feel like crap.

She pushes open the door to her office only to find Willow and Faith already in there waiting for her.  
Buffy sighs, she was still getting used to this, being the boss, it was weird, hell last night was one of the first time she had been in the field in months, it made her realise that she did actually miss that thrill.

"So what do I have to do know?" Buffy asks as her red heels click along the ground before she settles into Giles's...no her chair.  
Faith chuckles the look on Buffy's face was one she had seen before "So how many of the mama bears did you punch through the ground."  
"Non!" Buffy exclaims but when Faith and Willow give her a pointed looks Buffy groans "Just one. I didn't use full strength, you should have seen her she was such a...bitch."  
Faith bursts out in laughter while Willow sighs "That's my girl."

Willow shakes her head before turning back to Buffy "How's my favourite nephew?"  
"He's fine." Buffy tells her as she leans back in her chair before sighing "Xander and him were playing rockband last night."

Faith frowns for a moment before turning to Buffy "Eyepatch was with the kid? Princess, come on if he's cool with being nanny doubtfire we can totally go to a bar. Hell I'll watch the kid again if it gets you out. And gets that screw of yours unscrewed."

Buffy glares at her friend for a moment, there was no way she would let Faith watch Henry alone without supervision again, not after what happened last time "First of all, I miss you calling me B and secondly last time you took care of Henry you took him to a bar!"  
"Kid's got to learn young." She argues "Can't have him ending up a lightweight like you."

Buffy growls slightly and before she could stop herself she opened her mouth "And thirdly I get my cork unscrewed enough..." Buffy's eyes widen as she spots the smirk on Faith's face, she hadn't meant to phrase it that way "I didn't—that's not what I meant."  
Willow couldn't help but laugh slightly before she turns to Faith "Hmmm, do you think she's talking about..."

"Baby faced sexy giant man." Faith finishes before nodding "Hell yes. Do you climb that tree every time you're in New York Princess? I mean I would he is a hottie, kind of looks like one of the cuties in Henry's comics if you ask me."  
Buffy's eyes widen and her cheeks flush red before finally her head flops onto her table and she begins grumbling under her breath, she really needed to learn when to keep her mouth shut.

Willow continues to laugh with Faith before turning to Buffy, as fun as this was they did need to get back to business but there was one more thing she needed to discuss with Buffy.  
And it seemed like she could used the distraction right about now before Faith began teasing her again and asking for details.

"So Buffy, did Henry bring up the whole training thing with you?"  
Buffy looks up at her best friend gratefully before nodding, she sits up and moves the hair out of her face before turning to the witch "Yep."  
"You too huh?" Faith asks, the slimy devil had asked her as well "That Tasmanian devil came to me to."

Buffy sighs "That Tasmanian devil is my son. Which is exactly the issue here, Xander said he's a lot like me, and he's right. He's like me, he can be reckless and too curious and he's a klutz and a babble...and he wants to protect people...but I just wanna protect him."

Willow sighs she wish that she could understand Buffy's problems here but she couldn't, despite being there for Henry his entire life she wasn't his mom, the kid had grown up on the Hellmouth so he knew the dangers but still, Willow could only imagine the fear it put in Buffy "You were like this with Dawn once, but then you decided to train her, to protect her."

Buffy sighs, it was true she had decided that Dawn needed the training but this was different "I moved to Sunnydale when Henry was 3 months old, he is my everything, I have protected him everyday of his life, and I'm terrified that if something happens to me all my enemies will come after him. Training him hand to hand I can do but the minute I hand him a weapon it won't be enough for him, as much as I want him to be able to protect himself I know that his heart is too good. He'll want to protect others and lead the fight for the forces of good, and I know this is horrible, but I don't want that for my son. I just want him safe and happy and I want him to have a normal childhood, I don't want him to go through what I did."

Willow looks at her best friend sadly, she felt for Buffy, she spent every minute of every day trying to keep Henry safe to make sure that he could have a childhood, she was robbed of hers and didn't want her son to suffer the same fate. She couldn't help but smile slightly, it's what made her such a good mom, she was willing to do anything to protect her son.

Buffy takes a deep breath, she had gotten too emotional in her monologue, just even talking about this was difficult, her mom had always helped her when it came to Henry, and doing this without her was so difficult, sometimes she felt like she was a failure.

Sighing she rubs her hands together, she needed to focus, "Okay." She says her voice taking a more professional manner "Explain to me exactly what I'll be doing in New York."  
Willow chuckles "Just a couple meetings."  
Buffy groans "I hate these meetings, with the amount of times I've been flying back and forth lately, sometimes I imagine it would be easier to just live there."

Faith couldn't help but snicker, Buffy had left herself wide open there "Yeah cause then you and the giant can get with the fee-fi-fo-fum more often."  
Buffy's eyes widen before she groans, this was going to be a long day.

* * *

"Good." Buffy tells Henry as she holds the punching bag for Henry, keeping it from swaying back and fourth as he hit it.  
She adjusts her hold on the bag and makes sure his hands were wrapped properly before letting him continue "Left hook."

Henry sends a left hook at the bag causing her to smile, he was a natural, he kind of reminded her of Principal Wood.  
"Okay roadhouse, with an uppercut."

Henry nods before taking a breath he steps back swing his leg around kicking the bag as hard as he could before stepping forwards and hitting it with his fists.

"Nice." Buffy says happily as he pulls away, she smiles before looking over at the clock, their session was over now, which was probably a good thing cause Henry looked exhausted.  
She smiles at him before tapping the bag "Alright, that's it for today."

Henry takes a deep breath before nodding, he backs away from the bag and slowly starts to unwrap his hands, as he does he looks over at his mother nervously "So when do you leave for New York?" He asks her, as awesome as his mother's job was it sometimes sent her all over the globe, these days mostly the states, and although he went with her majority of the time, there were times when the missions were too dangerous and she would have to leave him here, he hated it though, they were really close and he didn't like being separated from her.

Buffy sighs and glances over at her son before making her way over to the balance beam, placing her hands on it she breaths out before pulling herself up onto it.

Sliding into splits she thinks for a moment before placing her hands on the beam, holding up her body she brings her legs up over her head holding a handstand for a moment before lowering her feet back onto the beam.

"A few days." She tells him before looking down at him as he sits on the matts in the Slayer training room "You finish school tomorrow right?" She asks him.  
Henry's eyes widen "Yeah, half term next week."

Buffy smirks slightly before running along the beam and leaping off in a triple twist, as she lands on her feet she glances over at her son "Well then I guess you gotta start packing when we get home."  
"Awesome!" Henry exclaims as he runs over and hugs her "Do I get to sit in on the meeting?"  
Buffy's eyes immediately drop all joy "Yeah that's a biggy on the no."  
"But—"  
"Nah, not happening."

Henry pouts slightly before a gleam fills his eyes, he watches as his mother moves over to the sword case and grabs a sword before doing her regular practise.

He watches his mother in fascination, his mom was quite the badass, he really wished that one day he could be like her, like Robin Wood, that guy was the only other son of a Slayer and such an awesome guy.  
"Hey mom?"  
Buffy raises the sword above her head swinging it down, taking a breath she glances back at her son curiously "Yeah kiddo?"

"You said you'd think about the whole weapon's training thing. I think now is a brilliant time to begin with that."  
Buffy lets out a small breath, he really as a little sneaky kid, she shakes her head before lowering the sword to her side and turning to face him "Henry..."

Henry noticing her hesitation tries to get her to see his case "I mean you already training me in hand to hand, what's the difference with a sword?"

Buffy takes a deep breath before crouching down in front of him, she raises the sword for him to see "Having a weapon Henry...it comes with risk, you're not just protecting yourself with a sword, you are aiming to hurt the other person. With a sword it's life or death, and someone always ends up hurt...I don't want that for you. I'm not ready for you to need that. Not yet. I teach you hand to hand to protect you. Henry you know our world, we have been in danger your whole life. I refuse to let you or Dawn to get hurt, I want you to be able to protect yourself, but...I don't want you to have to fight. When your old enough it will be your choice, but not know." Buffy pauses and cups his cheek in her hand before taking his chin in her hand "I want you to have a childhood Henry, to be a normal kid...well as normal as a Summers can be."

Henry sighs, despite understanding her reasoning he really wanted a weapon "What about a shield?" He counters.  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement before standing and going back to her sword practise, as she swings the sword at the wooden pillar in the corner she shakes her laughing as she does "Nope."  
"Oh come on , even Xander gets a shield. Andrew gets a weapon mom. Andrew! He's useless."

Buffy couldn't help but laugh "Henry..." She goes to tell him off for being rude about their friend but merely shrugs, she couldn't find reason to argue "Actually fair point. I swear if he brings that camera in my face again, I'm going to break one of his bones."  
Buffy groans slightly when she sees the puppy dog look on his face, he always tried to cheat with that, but it was not going to work this time "Nope. Not happening..." She quickly points at her face "...see this, resolve face doesn't respond to puppy dog eyes. Now..." She slowly places the sword back in the cupboard before placing her hands on Henry's shoulders and pushing him towards the door "Let's get home, we gotta pack. And maybe in a year or so, we will speak about a bow and arrow."

Henry's eyes widen "Awesome."

* * *

 **Apartment - London -**

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 **New York Apartment –**

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	65. New York City Serenade - Part 1

New York City, United States – Today

As Buffy steps into the restaurant she couldn't help but admire it, it was beautiful in here, smiling slightly she couldn't help it, she felt normal, just a normal girl going on a date. Okay maybe it wasn't exactly normal, given the fact that the date was with her demon hunter boyfriend but still, it was a little bit of normal.  
Pulling off her long leather jacket she adjusts her green strapless dress ( /images/gzv9ww) before attempting to find her date.

Finally she spots him sitting nervously at the table playing with his brunette hair, she couldn't help but smile he could be goofily adorable.  
When he spots her he smiles brightly and stands, as he stood she couldn't help but smile he was at least 6.4 so it must look really weird when they stand together.  
"Sorry, I'm late." She tells him as he steps over to her.  
"Tell me the world isn't ending." He says with a chuckle before bending down to kiss her softly.

Buffy leans into the kiss before smiling up at him as she pulls him into a quick hug "Sam, wouldn't say that if I were you, you'll jinx us."  
Sam pauses "Oh God the world isn't actually ending is it?" He shakes his head, he knew her well enough to know she wouldn't be here if it was "Never mind if it was, you would have cancelled. Or just simply have not shown up."  
Buffy chuckles as she moves to sit down "I'm not much with subtlety."

Sam smiles at her as he takes his seat opposite her, "So what happened?"  
Buffy sighs "Meeting was postponed till tomorrow, Polgara attack in Brooklyn, I had to send the girls out to take care of it."  
Sam couldn't help but chuckle as much as she argued that she hated being the boss, she was damn good at it "They all right without you?"  
"They should be. I trained most of them."  
Sam smirked at her before leaning back in his chair "You sure they won't surpass you."

Buffy arches a brow "Don't make me hurt you. I did break you brother's nose, doesn't mean I won't break yours." She teases.  
Sam merely smiles and leans on his elbows to look across at her "You like me too much."  
"Debatable." She says before shaking her head in amusement, it was banter like this that always made her sad that she didn't get to see him very often. He was always travelling and so was she, making time for each other was difficult.

"Ooh, red and shiny." Buffy says joyfully as a glass of red wine is placed in front of her by the waitor. "Thank you." She says as he walks off before she turns back to Sam.

Sam raises his own glass as he focuses on her "Hey, how'd the weapons talk with Henry go?"  
Buffy groans slightly "He's persistent, I swear he's spending too much time with Faith."  
"At least he didn't ask for a gun." Sam points out as they clink their glasses together.  
Buffy rolls her eyes "And if he had I would have blamed you, you're the one that took him to a shooting range."  
Sam smiles "I wanted him to like me." He defends.  
Buffy chuckles slightly before grabbing the menu "Let's eat. Slaying Buffy makes a hungry Buffy."  
"Let's do it."

* * *

Buffy groans in pleasure as she takes another bite of her meal, this was seriously the best thing she had ever tasted and that was saying something considering how good the chefs at the main London Slayer base were.  
As she chew she spots Sam watching her causing her to frown "What? Do I have a twig in my hair, that sometimes happens, I ran into a vamp on the way here I swear I wasn't—"  
"Buffy..." Sam says sweetly as he places his hand on her's calming her babble "No. You don't have a twig in your hair...plus it wouldn't be you if you didn't pumble some vamp before you came here. Our last date involved breaking into a demon nest so that doesn't surprise me."

When she sighs in relief and smiles at him he looks at her sweetly "Are you happy?" He asks only to panic slightly "With your food..." He clarifies "...you happy?"  
Buffy smiles in confusion for a moment, he could be a little weird sometimes "We are happy." She pauses and looks at him nervously for a minute "I spoke to Henry about maybe moving to New York yesterday."

Sam's eyes widen, filling with joy for a brief second before filling with curiosity "What did he say?"  
"He was so excited. But I don't know. I mean the New York office is the biggest Slayer Headquarters in the States and with the amount I've been travelling back here, I just thought it might be easier than staying in London. Plus living in hotels all the time and Council temporary homes is not the life I want for Henry."  
Sam smiles, he had not expected that, but he was so happy that she had said that "You have no idea, how happy I am to hear that."

When Buffy frowns in confusion and opens her mouth to ask why he cuts her off, he wanted to keep the surprise "I'll be right back."  
He entagles his fingers with hers, squeezing her hand for a moment before standing and walking away from the table.

She watches him for a moment before reaching for her phone, she may trust her sister but Dawn and Henry always ended up making mischief together, knowing her luck she'd go home and the place would be covered in pizza and mud. Honestly after the state they had left her apartment in last time she was always a little worried leaving those two together.  
As she begins texting her sister one of the waiter's grabs her plate, she smiles up at the young waitress "Thanks." She whispers before focusing back on her phone.

As she stares at her phone she hears Sam sit back down "Sorry, just making sure Dawn doesn't burn down another one of my apartments. Willow hates having to deal with the insurance guys, so she will kill me."  
She sends the message and sits up only for her eyes to widen as instead of her boyfriend sat across from her was that weird ass pirate from last night.  
"You—"  
Hook quickly raises his hand quickly silencing her, he had seen her with the giant man child, so he knew he had to be quick "I can explain."

Buffy glares at him, she was seriously gonna kick this guy back to Timbuktu "Just cause you're not a vamp or a demon doesn't mean I can't kick your ass back to cosplay town. Seriously is this a comic con thing?" She asks gesturing to the all black leather ensemble "I mean can't you just go as superhero like everyone else?"  
Hook frowns in confusion for a moment, which he found himself often doing when he was around her, there was something about her, she was different, happier, this must have been what she was like before the horrors that occurred to her "I have no idea what a superhero is luv."  
"Do you live under a rock?" She hisses.

Hook opens his mouth to argue only to realise that she had a point "For a time." He quickly shakes his head, he wouldn't have long till the man child would come back and he needed to get Buffy to listen to him. And her being as stubborn as she is was going to make this difficult "That's beside the point. Look luv I just need you to hear me out. I don't do this very often so treasure it, pet—"  
Buffy groans at the familiar pet name "Drop the pet names, mate." She warns.

Hook rolls his eyes before continuing "I'm trying to do something very un-natural for me, luv. I've come to apologise."  
As he speaks Buffy clenches her fist "What for? Trying to kiss me? Attempting to break into my apartment, crashing my date? There is kind of a long list."

Hook sighs, he hadn't meant to try and kiss her, but it had been so long since he had seen her and he had found himself drawn to her, he hadn't been in control like he normally had to be when he was around her "All of the above. I was simply trying to job your memory."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "You know what I remember? I have a very strong urge to hit you...so I suggest you get out of here—now."

"Buffy, your parents are in great danger." Hook tells her desperately, he needed her to remember and now, he needed to get her back to Storybrooke.

Buffy rolls her eyes, this guy was really pissed her off now, she was going to get a migraine real soon "You really have no idea what you're talking about nacy pants. You want to know how I know? My mom is dead, so thank you for that reminder and my dad is busy rocking the cradle right about now."  
Hook sighs, this was going to be harder than he thought, he needed to remember that she didn't remember being adopted, and believing it was going to be difficult for her given how much was involved in keeping that secret well hidden from her growing up.  
"Slayer, you have to understand, everything is not what it seams. Your life, your story, there is more to it than you know. Everything you've believed is wrong."

Buffy glares at him, in comes a total stranger who claimed to know more about her life than she did, she couldn't deal with this right now, she had too much going on with the company and with Henry "You don't know me. So take your swashbuckling ass and scoot back off to the Caribbean."  
"Again, I have no idea what that means."  
Buffy groans "Watch a damn movie! Seriously there is this thing called Netflix, use it."

Hook sighs he didn't have time for this "Luv, you need to trust me. Right now I know you better than you know yourself." When she continues to look at him skeptically he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of paper from his pocket before placing it in front of Buffy "I have proof. Take a gander. Here's an address. If you want to know who you really are, what has been hidden from you your entire life. Go there."

Buffy sighs and quickly glances back in the direction Sam had gone in "Yes because going to a random address some psycho gives me is a great idea. Look my boyfriend is a demon hunter and I'm a Slayer, so unless you wanna end up with a black eye you gotta go."

Hook frowns at the mention of the man she was with, when he had set out to find her, he had never had imagined that she would be with someone. He had spent so long trying to get her to open up with no success yes this man had done just that. However The woman he had known was closed off and resistant, but this woman...despite still being the woman he had grown to care for this part of her didn't have that dark edge, the one formed from years of suffering.  
"You've been there before, a year ago." He reminds her as she remains distracted "You just don't remember."  
Buffy groans "Why are you so annoying?"

Hook frowns for a moment, that question had become quite a common occurrence since he had met her "That's a question I've been asked of a lot luv."  
"Probably for good reason." Buffy mumbles before looking at him seriously, she was done with this "Look, a year ago I was in Boston till my apartment got burnt down during a demon attack. I moved to London to run my business and to get a fresh start with my son. I'm only here for work."

Hook couldn't help but smile, she was denying everything, this memory spell really had done wonders on her mind "Regina really did a number on you."

Buffy groans and leans back in her seat, this guy really was convinced by what he was saying "You know I've met a lot of nutsos in my life...you are really knocking down that list."  
"I prefer dashing rapscallion."  
Buffy merely stares at him unamused "I got a few choice descriptions for you."  
Hook merely smirks and raises an eyebrow at her "Scoundrel?"  
"Actually it begins with a D."

Hook sighs before tilting her head, she just didn't believe him, or wouldn't believe him "You really don't believe me?" He looks at her closer and leans against the table to look at her more closely "Try using that gift of yours. And not the strength or the snappy comebacks. You know which one I mean."  
At that Buffy frowns, no one knew about that except Henry, she didn't normally tell people that, it made people uncomfortable around her.

"Yep." Hook says with a smirk as he examines her shocked expression, he had struck a nerve "I know about that. Use it. See that I'm telling the truth." He looks into her eyes begging her to see the truth.  
Buffy sighs and looks at the pirate before shaking her head "Just because you believe something is true does not make it real."

"Slayer you live in a world of monsters." He points out "Anything is possible. And I know you, Slayer. You sense something's off. Go to that address. Take a chance. Then you'll want to talk. And when you do, I'll be in Central Park, by the entrance for the zoo." He pauses and looks at her seriously "Don't do it for me...or you. Do it for your family. They need your help."  
He gives her one more begging look before standing from the table and leaving without another world.  
Buffy continues to stare at the address that Hook had given her, she didn't believe him, she couldn't, it was all just too insane.

She sighs but yet there was something so familiar about him, something that was keeping her from actually hitting him, his words had hit a nerve in her, prying out a sense of curiosity she had not noticed before. She could feel it, something was off about all of this, and she needed to figure out what.

"Hey what's that?" Sam asks as he walks back over only to spot his girlfriend now holding a piece of paper, he frowns in worry, hoping that she didn't have to take off on a job right now.  
Buffy looks up at her boyfriend and opens her mouth intent on telling him but freezes, there was something in her that wouldn't let her. Sam was so protective and she knew he would want to know but...after what Hook had said a thousand thoughts were running through her head, there was something off in this, and until she was sure what it was she couldn't talk about it with him. Not yet. Not till this nervous feeling in her gut went away.

"Nothing." She tells him sweetly before tucking the paper into her jacket and turning to face him as he sits down.  
"Hope you're still hungry." Sam pauses, that was a stupid question, this was Buffy he was talking about "Never mind."

Buffy giggles slightly "I thought you were insulting me, if you think I can't handle all this, I still think we should go get pizza after."  
Sam shakes his head in amusement, this was just one of the many reasons that he loved this woman "Good." He says before nodding at the waiter who places an ice cream sundae in the middle of the table.

Once the waiter was gone Sam rubs his hands together nervously "Do you remember our first date?"  
Buffy arches her eyebrow "You still count that as our first date? We almost died."

Sam chuckles "We have done that on a lot of our dates. If I didn't count them then we wouldn't be here right now." He points out before continuing with his story "You had just taken over the Slayer's Organisation and me and my brother asked you for help. After hours of me and him arguing."

Buffy chuckles, Sam's brother really wasn't her biggest fan, Faith on the other hand was a very different story "Yeah he really didn't like me. He hit on me a lot though."

Sam laughs, that still slightly pissed him off "Yeah. He does that. So we asked you for help with a demon nest here in New York and you being you went in alone. I showed up and we fought side by side against them, that was the first time you really spoke to me, cause I asked you out for a drink and you said no but then when we were fighting you opened up. After we finished we found out that the guy we had saved from the nest was the chef here and he offered to make us anything we wanted as a thank you." Sam chuckles as he remembers what she had asked for, it had shocked him to his core how such a small girl could eat so much "...he dragged us in here and you asked for a triple cheese burger and a pepperoni pizza before finally ordering a ice cream sundae."

Buffy smiles at the memory, despite sounding like a pig, in her defence she had been staring that much slayage had needed food "In my defence that was a lot of calories burned in that fight."  
Sam chuckles before pushing the sundae towards her "The chef made you one tonight. I may have had to remind him we did save his life a little."  
Buffy smiles again, this was incredibly sweet of Sam, it was all too much.

Sam places a shaky hand on the plate before spinning it slightly as he does the key on the plate reveals itself to Buffy.  
Buffy's eyes widen as she spots the key, at least it wasn't a ring, was all she could think because otherwise she would be having a major freak out. Not that she wasn't internally having a panic attach right now. One that was very close to becoming a full on external one.

"Buffy, I don't want to freak you out, but...I want you to move here to New York, to live with me. Both you and Henry. I wanted to wait till you were sure about the move but I couldn't...Buffy, I love you, I love Henry, and I hate that we are always separated. I want to have a future with you, it's what I've always wanted, out of me and my brother I wanted the apple pie life, and I want that with you. We may fight monsters everyday but you're the person I want to come home to for that normal aspect." Sam pauses trying to examine Buffy's reaction, to be honest she looked full thrown freaked out and terrified but he took her hand and looked at her sweetly "Buffy Summers, will you move in with me?"

Buffy freezes, she was panicking, this was not supposed to be happening, she wasn't ready for this, to live with a man 24/7 to permanently have a man in her life other than her son. To have something normal, she couldn't think, there were too many thoughts running through her head, what if it didn't work out, what if more demons came after them. She wasn't ready, ready for this, it was a big step for her given her history and right now...she felt like she was going to faint.

* * *

Pulling on her jacket as she steps into the brisk cold Buffy takes a deep breath, trying to calm her panicked breathing, she needed to calm down, it's not like he had proposed but that would be next, they would move in together then there would be certain expectation, expectations she wasn't sure she was ready to fill yet.  
"Buffy..." Sam calls as he runs out after her "I thought the worse you'd do was say no, not walk out on the bill." He jokes.  
"Sam-"  
Sam's eyes widen at her still panicked expression "I was gonna pay. It was—I'm kidding."

"I'm sorry." She tells him honestly "You—You just told me be surprise is all...a massive surprise. A lot of things took me by surprise tonight. And that's saying something for me, I mean I saw a green horned demon singing karaoke last time I was in L.A, so I'm used to surprises. But not this kind." She sighs, she was babbling again and it just wouldn't stop it was coming out before she could stop it "I really need you to say something before I continue to babble vomit..."

Sam steps forward and places his hands on her shoulders, attempting to calm her "Look, surprise was kind of a part of the plan...but I should learn to remember you and surprises do not mesh so..."  
Buffy shakes her head, this was all to fast "Doesn't this all just seem a little fast to you?" She asks him "I mean with only been together 6 months, and most of that time were both travelling, this is the first time we've seen each other in a month."

Sam smiles sadly, it was true, because of her work she was always travelling and he barely ever gets to see her, but that was exactly the point, he wanted to see her "That's the point Buffy. I want to see you, every morning, every time you come home from work. Everyday."  
Buffy shakes her head "No, you don't. I'm messy, I'm a slub, I leave weapons everywhere, I leave left overs in my fridge for months at a time, you don't wanna deal with that."

Sam smiles at her before stepping closer "Yes I do. Buffy, speaking for myself—I know this is right, us. Since the second I saw you training the girls with your wit and sass I knew you were the girl for me...plus I've been to your apartment in London, I'm not walking in blinded."

Buffy sighs, he was so sweet but she was just freaked, she had never been put in this position, she had always gotten out of the relationship before it had gotten mega serious. She had always been closed off and avoided giving herself over to someone completely, she didn't know why by for the past few years she had been ever more closed off, like some unknown event had made her more suspious of men.

Looking up at him she squeezes his hand hoping he would understand, she didn't want to hurt him "I do love you. You know that right?"  
Sam nod "Yeah and I love you."

Buffy tilts her head, trying to find the words to explain the amount of craziness going through her head "I'm not good at...fast. Sam, I'm 28 years old. I had Henry right after I turned 16, plus I was chosen as the Slayer a fews weeks after I found out I was pregnant. I was forced to grow up...but never in this way. It's why I can't move with this...you know my history with men...this subject is more difficult than any other. I don't know if I'm ready."

Sam sighs slightly before looking down at her "Buffy, I knew who I was asking to move in with me. Which is why we don't have to do this any time soon. We can do it gradually, day by day, week by week, month by month if you need it. Hell if you don't want to move in with me till after Henry all ready has kids I'm okay with that, as long as you have your own key and think of my home as yours as well." Sam steps closer and cups her cheek in his hands allowing her to lean into his hold "One thing I know for certain, that even if we never live together, if we never get married, is that...I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Buffy lets out a breath as his words sink in, he was willing to do so much for her, so much that she didn't think she deserved, so she owed him the same "Can I have some time to think?"  
Sam nods smiling at her "Take as much time as you need. I will be here when you're ready."

* * *

Buffy closes the front door behind her and sighs, she leans against the door for a moment trying to calm herself, so much had happened in such a short period of time that it was freaking her out.  
Taking a deep breath she pulls off her jacket and slips off her black heels leaving them in the hallways, she heads into the living room grabbing her black sweater off the kitchen table before glancing over at Dawn and Henry who were playing poker by the couch.

Buffy's eyes widen as she pulls on her sweater, she freezes, her sister was teaching her son poker, just enough surprising thing today.  
"Really?" She asks as she walks over to them and sits on the couch "Dawn.."  
"Oh come on." Dawn argues as she turns to her sister "Faith took him to a bar, I can at least play poker with him."  
Buffy groans slightly and leans into the couch "You're all gonna kill me one day."

Henry laughs before grabbing the pile of chips from the middle of the table making Dawn glare at him, she was getting beat by a 12 year old.  
Henry smirks before glancing over at his mother "So, what'd you say?" When his mom frowns in confusion he turns to face her while continuing to count his new chips "To Sam?"  
Buffy's eyes widen she hadn't been expecting that "You knew? How did you know and I didn't? Am I that blonde?"

Dawn laughs and opens her mouth to agree to the statement only for Buffy to glare at her, Dawn rolls her eyes before sighing "He asked me to talk to my real-estate agent. He's lived on the road so long he wasn't sure how to do it."  
Buffy's eyes widen, he had clearly been thinking about this awhile now, had how she not seen the signs.  
"Mom." Henry says drawing her attention "I mean he even asked me if I would be okay with it."  
Buffy groans how could she have been so blind "How did I miss this?"

Henry chuckles, him and Dawn had seen the signs "Come on mom, first-date restaurant, special night out—he was either gonna propose or ask you to move in."  
Dawn nods in agreement "Writing was on the wall."

Buffy sighs and buries her head in one of the pillows "God I am so mentally challenged." She mumbles into the pillow before peeking back up from behind it "It was not on the wall then I would have noticed. It was just on the dessert, which I should have noticed sooner considering I was about to eat it and if he hadn't turned the plate I probably would have eaten the key too."

Dawn glares at her slightly, it was unfair Buffy could eat whatever she wanted and never put on a pound "So not fair."  
Buffy merely grins at her younger sister "Deal with it."  
Henry shakes his head, that was the problem with growing up in a house of girls, with his mom, Dawn and grandma, it had been constant girl talk his whole life "So..." He asks drawing his mother's attention back to him "What did you say?"  
Buffy freezes she opens her mouth and finds herself unable to admit it, she quickly closes her mouth before folding her legs causing Henry to chuckle "Poor guy."  
"It's not like I said no." Buffy argues "I just used several words that could have accounted for the word no...but no was never used." She says hesitantly sounding very guilty as does.  
"Well, if the word yes wasn't uttered, I stand by my poor guy statement."  
Dawn laughs slightly "Come on Buffy, what's the big deal?"

Buffy sighs, Dawn didn't get it, which was fine, no one in friend group ever could "I just need some time to think about it. It's a big step. One I never even thought about before. If we move here to New York I want it to be for me and you kid." She says she glances at Henry "...we've been moving around so much that it would be nice to have a good thing here. Just the two of us."  
When Dawn clears her throat Buffy rolls her eyes "And Dawn, when she's crashing on our couch."

Henry turns to his mom, still feeling for Sam, he liked the guy, he made her happy and after Angel dying she hadn't been happy with a guy in a long time "Yeah and we'd still have a good thing if it was just the three of us...and Dawn."  
Dawn glares at him before tossing a pillow at his head only making him laugh.

Buffy chuckles before looking at Henry seriously, if she was going to consider this, then he would have a say in it, this was his life too and she didn't want to invade it with someone who he didn't want there "Do you think Sam is worthy of joining our Scooby gang family then?"  
Henry shrugs "He's okay. But he's also have to get past the barriers that are Xander and Willow."  
"It's true, if they don't give the seal of approval then it's off to the dumpster for this one." Dawn says as she turns to her sister.

Henry sighs before standing and moving to sit next to his mom "Mom, not every guy's like my dad. Not every guy's gonna leave you."  
Buffy sighs, they didn't talk about this subject very often "He didn't just leave—he manipulated me set me to take the fall for his crime. He doesn't even know you exist, he doesn't deserve to."  
Henry smiles slightly before looking at her seriously, he knew the main problem was Angel, that relationship had messed her up so much that she couldn't open up to anyone, and after he had died it had only gotten worse "And this guy is not that guy...and he's not Angel. There is no curse separating the two of you, he's not immortal...and he isn't gonna die. This guy is a living breathing guy, he wants this to be his home." Slowly he smirks "And anyways, I know you like him."  
Buffy frowns "How?"  
Henry chuckles "Because I have met three guys in your life that you've dated and who weren't Xander or Giles. Angel and Riley...and Sam."

Buffy's eyes widen, how was this kid so smart "When did you get so wise?"  
Henry smirks before holding out his hand towards his aunt Dawn who was grumbling under her breath as she grabbed her wallet "Somewhere after the 100 bucks Aunt Dawn owes me."  
Dawn glares at him before forking over the money and then glaring at her sister "I swear Buffy he's no way yours. He's too smart."  
Buffy merely laughs before holding out her hand towards Henry who hands her half of the money in his hands "Who do you think taught him to play?"

* * *

"Thanks again for watching him." Buffy tells Dawn after Henry was in bed and Dawn was grabbing her stuff to head back to campus at NYU.  
Dawn smiles, she loved spending time with her nephew, so it never felt like a favour when she was watching him "It's fine Buffy. Although that kid...he must gets his smarts from mom."  
Buffy smiles slightly, Henry did remind her of her mother, he was kind and smart and cared about people deeply.

Dawn sighs sadly at the thought of their mother before looking at her sister seriously "You flared Willow's alarm, yesterday. I didn't want to worry Henry, what happened?"  
Buffy glances back at Henry's room making sure he wasn't peeking through the door before lowering her voice and turning back to her "A guy showed up...very cute...nuts...tried to kiss me but still attractive."  
"You really do attract nut-cases, don't you?"  
Buffy rolls her eyes before continuing "He said some things when he showed up on my date..."

"He showed up on your date!" Dawn screeches before quickly covering her mouth.  
Buffy glared at her, if she woke up Henry she was going to make her sister deal with him all night "Yes okay." She says in a hushed voice "He said somethings...gave me an address. I'm going to go after the meeting tomorrow. So I need you to watch Henry, keep him distracted.."

"Buffy." Dawn sighs "It could be a trap. You should take backup."  
Buffy shakes her head, if this was a trap she wouldn't risk her girls, plus there was something in her that told her this guy didn't actually wanna hurt her "No. I won't put my girls at risk. Look I'm the one stupid enough to go, so I'll deal. I'll be fine."  
Dawn sighs, as much as she didn't like this she knew there was no talking her sister out of it "Okay. I'll watch him but just...be careful."

* * *

Enchanted Forest – One Year Ago

Charming smiles at the dwarfs head off to go spread the word to the other members of the kingdom that were popping up from Storybrooke, they needed to let everyone know as so as possible to head to Regina's castle, so that they could begin to rebuild their home.

He turns away from the dwarfs and surveys the group as they prepare their horses for the journey, however as he does his eyes fall on Hook.

Frowning he walks over to the pirate "That's a lot of supplies you have there, Hook." Charming says as he spots the load that Hook was tying onto his horse.  
Hook shrugs "Well, you know what they say about preparation and all that."  
Charming chuckles slightly before stroking the mare "Well, there's no need to overload your horse. The Queen's castle's less than a day's ride from here. We'll have everything we need once we get there."  
"Aye." Hook says before finally turning to face the prince "Well, that would be lovely if I were going to the Queen's castle."

Charming frowns in confusion before watching as Hook continued to saddle his horse "You're not coming with us?"  
"You are a perceptive prince, aren't you?" Hook says with a chuckle.  
Charming sighs, he should have realised this would happen, Buffy was gone and now he was going to just leave "Where are you going?"  
Hook groans before turning to face the prince "Listen, mate, the Enchanted Forest is your home. Mine is the Jolly Rodger."

Charming sighs, Hook could have no idea if his ship had even been brought over with the curse and if it had it could be anywhere in their land "Hook, you don't even know if it's—"

Hook cuts the prince off, he already knew the risk "Regina told me how this bloody thing works. That it returned all our belongings to this land, as well as us. That means that somewhere out there is my ship. All I have to do is find her."  
"And what if you can't?"  
Hook smirks "I'll just have to take another one, then, won't I? That's what pirates do."  
Charming shakes his head in disappointment "Huh. And here I thought you'd gone and changed."

Hook rolls his eyes before climbing up onto his horse, there was nothing keeping him with their group anymore, Buffy was gone and she was the only thing that had kept him tethered to this group. Without her it was time for him to get back to his life.  
"I tried the hero thing—" He says as he looks down at David "Didn't take."

"So that's it." Snow says as she walks over to the two of them in disbelief "Buffy's gone and you're going to go back to being a pirate?"  
"Back, milady?" Hook asks with a smirk "I've always been a pirate."

* * *

New York City, United States – Present Day

"So what's the meeting about?" Henry asks excitely as they enter the Slayer's Headquarters New York devision office, he had been bombarding her with questions about the meeting since they had left the apartment.

Buffy sighs before pulling out her phone only to end up pulling out the piece of paper Hook had given her, she frowns at the address before turning to Henry "Nothing you need to worry about." She says distractedly.  
Henry frowns his mom had been off all morning "Mom, is there something going on?"  
Buffy's eyes widen at the question before shrugging "Nope, nothing."

Henry sighs, he had seen that look on her face a hundred times before "No, you're doing it again, you're worrying. Does this have something to do with the meeting or is this about Sam."

Buffy freezes before tucking the address back into her pocket, as they walk towards her temporary office she takes off her jacket and pats down her skirt ( /images/5kCJUf) before looking at him "Maybe a little of both. I mean this meeting is important plus...The Sam thing...well can you blame me for taking 24 hours to think through a life-altering decision?"

Henry arches a brow at that "Mom, you blew up our last town without even thinking about it...this is a piece of cake compared."  
Buffy shakes her head in amusement before tapping the back of his head "Spike blew up the town thank you. I just helped. Anyway...I just wanna make sure that if we do do this that it's the right thing."

As they spot Dawn walking down the hall towards them Henry adjusts his back pack before turning to look at his mother seriously "You always look for the danger. You don't always have to do that you know. Sometimes it's okay to accept that things are...good and well...normal."  
Buffy smiles slightly at her son before kissing him on the head "Have fun with Dawn."

"Yeah come on Watcher Jr." Dawn says as she approaches.  
Henry smiles at her before walking over to her "Love you." He calls back to his mom.  
"Love you too." Buffy calls back before watching as her son walks down the hall towards the library.

She sighs before closing her office door, walking over to her glass desk, she flops down into her chair and turns to face the floor length windows. She couldn't deny that she loved coming to New York, it was one of her favourite bases.

She admires the view for another moment before turning in her chair and pulling out the address once more. It was going to keep nagging her till she did it, she had to know the truth.

"Miss Summers?" Viola, the Slayer Buffy had put in charge of the New York team squad says as she enters the room.  
Buffy quickly places the address back into her pocket before standing and walking over to the purple haired girl "Hi, V." She says sweetly before hugging her "It's great to see you."  
"You to Buffy. Sorry you had to come all the way out here."

Buffy smiles at her before heading over to her desk, Viola following after her "It's fine." She says before sitting down "Now, wanna tell me why I'm here."  
Viola nods before placing a map she had in her hands on the desk and pointing at all the red dots that seemed to cover the entirety of the sheet "The Polgara problem is getting worse. Their rising, I think something big is going on, we need more girls, and possible some witches."

Buffy sighs before leaning back in her chair, another day, another problem, another demon "Alright, let's get to it."

* * *

When Buffy walks into the library after her meeting, a meeting that had felt like eternity, from having to call up all the different divisions to having to talk to their government contacts who still were a bit sketchy about her being in charge, her head was pounding.

She steps into the room now wearing her leather jacket and glances around only to chuckle as she finds her son in-grossed in the Watcher's journals that Giles had left him, with his headphones on. He was lost to another world right now.

She smiles slightly, she loved that he loved to read, if he had been like she was at his age or god forgive if he had acted like Dawn then she would be having a mid life crisis right about now.

Instead of disturbing him she glances over at her sister "Psst." She whispers drawing the brunette's attention.  
Dawn's head quickly shoots up and when she shots her sister standing by the doorway she stands and quickly walks over to her sister "Hey, how did it go?"

Buffy nods "Long, fine, thank god it's over, all fit the category." She sighs before glancing back at her son "Look I'm gonna go to that address. Keep Henry safe."  
Dawn sighs, she still was not okay with her sister going into a possible trap "Buffy—"  
Buffy cuts her off, she knew what she was going to say but her mind was made up "I'll be fine. Just take care of my son."

* * *

Buffy glances around the hallway at the apartment building the address had led her to, once she was sure the coast was clear she forces the door open shattering the wood and breaking the lock allowing her to easily swing the door open.  
As she steps inside the apartment and closes the door behind her she frowns, the address had brought her to nothing more than an empty dusty apartment.

Great, it wasn't a trap, it was a prank.

She shakes her head in annoyance and moves to leave but something catches her eye, a dreamcatcher hanging just above the window.  
Her eyes widen she hadn't seen one of these since...it couldn't be, it wasn't possible.  
She walks over to the Dreamcatcher and lifts it off the window staring at it in shock before sighing "Flypaper for nightmares. Neal."

She shakes her head, this couldn't be happening, glancing around the room once more she drops the dreamcatcher on the table before going over to the pile of the mail. And confirming her horrified thoughts they were all addressed to Neal.

She tosses them on the table when something catches her eye, the white cloth on the couch was covered in blood, grabbing it she bring it to her nose "That's not human." She breaths as she lowers it, it smelt human but there was a dark aura about it, one she had never felt before, it was unsettling.

She lowers the cloth and glances around the room once more, as she does she spots something familiar in the corner of her eyes.  
Walking over to it she finds a camera, a very familiar one, grabbing it her eyes widen in shock, this couldn't be happening, as scrolled along the leather lining of the camera was a name. Henry.

"This...this isn't possible."

* * *

Buffy walks through Central Park towards the zoo, she needed answers now, and the only person she knew who could give them to her was the cosplay guy. As she walks she realises that she didn't even know his name, but that wouldn't stop her from getting answers. If Neal was trying to find Henry, if he even knew about Henry this guy knew and she wanted the truth.

When she spots him standing by a bench he turns to her "Slayer." He says with a smile "I knew that'd work. It's good to see you again."  
Buffy ignores him before jabbing him in the face causing him to groan in agony "Bloody hell. I forgot how hard you hit. Why the bleeding hell did you do that?"

Buffy's eyes widen before she raises her hand in annoyance and begins flaying them around "Why the bloody hell?—That was Neal's place you moron. Why didn't you tell me that?!"  
Hook looks at her nervously for a moment "I think the fact that you just punched me and the tone of your voice answers that quite clearly. You never would have gone if I had."

Buffy glares at him, she was done with the mysterious secrets, he was involved with Neal and Neal had taken something of Henry's, he had involved her son in this so she was done, she wanted answers and she would get them no matter what "What does that Kelso impressioner have you doing for him? Is he trying to get into Henry's life? How does he even know about him? I was very discrete my mother didn't even know I was pregnant till I brought him home."

Hook continues to stare at her, he really did not want to discuss Baelfire right now "I already told you I'm not here because of Neal."  
Buffy arches a brow "Actually you never stated that."  
"It was between the lines."  
"I didn't get that."

Hook sighs, he needed her to understand and quickly, he didn't have much time "I'm here because your parents are in trouble. Their entire kingdom has been cursed, ripped back to Storybrooke."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "What is with the parents stick? I've told you this my parents are dead. One literally one figuratively. And I have legitimate proof that they are my parents so don't even start." She knew she was their daughter, she had to be other wise she never would have been able to sacrifice herself for Dawn during the battle with Glory.  
Buffy groans when he doesn't even look deterred by that "Look, you are insane. Talking about a kingdom a curse...there are a lot of things I know are real but this...do you even know what you sound like?"

Hook looks down slightly, he understood he reaction, it was far fetched even for a woman involved in so much magical interference "Like a madman, I'm sure. But it's true. These people need you. You may not believe they are your parents but either way you are the only one who can save them." When she still stares at him unconvinced he arches a curious brow "If you don't believe me at all, why did you come here?"

Buffy quickly reaches into her bag and grabs the camera that she had found "Because Neal has a camera with my son's name on it." She hisses out before looking at him with a dangerous glare that made him worry that she was going to hit him again.  
"Explain to me sparrow how exactly he has this."

Hook smiles he had gotten lucky there, there was proof in her hands "Don't you see? That is proof of what I'm saying. Henry must have left that in the apartment when you were in New York last year."  
Buffy scoffs this guy was nuts "No offence, my best friend is a witch if I was missing memories she would have told me. So the only thing that this proves is something I already knew...Neal a crazy stalker, now I want answers real ones...don't make me ask twice."

Hook sighs he was extremely stubborn, he takes a deep breath before reaching into his pocket and grabbing the potion before holding it out towards her "There's only one way you'll get those. Drink this."  
Buffy stares at the blue liquid before scoffing "Drink the thing the nut-job offered me no thanks...don't feel like getting roofied."  
Hook scoffs "It will help you remember everything you've lost."  
Buffy continues to stare at him before shaking her head "I've already lost too much."

Hook takes a deep breath he could see it in her eyes, she wanted to know, she was tempted "If one small part of you sense that, don't you owe it to yourself to find out if I'm right? What do you say, luv?" He slowly smiles at her hoping that he was breaking through "Take a leap of faith."

Buffy stares at the potion for another moment before grabs his wrist and twists it behind his back, shoving him up against the tree he grunts in shock "Slayer, what are you doing?"  
"Call me any more pet names and I swear I will go all terminator on your ass."

Before he could say anything else Buffy whistles and then a set of two women walked over to them both in tactical gear.  
"General." They say as they address Buffy who tosses Hook over to them.

"Bloody hell." Hook grunts as the women grab his arms, they were strong almost as strong as Buffy "What are you doing, Slayer?" he asks desperately, as he struggles with the women.  
"Making sure you stay away from me and my son. For good." Buffy looks over at the girls before nodding "Sandra, Mila take him in."  
"Slayer!" Hook yells as she starts to back away "You can't do this."

Buffy smirks slightly "Actually I can. They work for me. Take him to main base. Gage him while you're at it." Buffy gives Hook one more look before turning her back on him and walking away.

As she walks Hook panics, if she left know there was a good chance he wouldn't find her again "Slayer, please, you're making a mistake. A terrible, terrible mistake!" Hook struggles against the women who force him onto his knees "Slayer!"


	66. New York City Serenade - Part 2

Enchanted Forest – One Year Ago

After convincing Regina not to give up on love and to keep her heart, Snow and her move to head back to join the group so that they could all reach the castle together.  
However, as they walk Snow freezes, hearing something in the bushes beside her, they had been gone so long from this land, there could be many dangers that had filled the forest in their absence.  
"There was something there, in that bush." Snow tells Regina.  
Regina frowns before walking over and checking "There's nothing here, unless it flew away."

Snow frowns only to look up and gasp as she spots what looks like a flying monkey heading towards them "It did!"

* * *

New York City – Present Day

"So do you think we'll stay here." Henry asks Buffy as they walk through Times Square on the way back to their apartment.

Buffy smiles at the idea, having a proper home again, as great as living in London has been she was barely ever home, her and Henry were always travelling and it wasn't fair to him.  
If they moved here she could settle down roots, he could go to school properly and she could have Willow, Faith, Xander and Andrew...okay maybe not Andrew, running the other areas of the company.

"Maybe...there's a lot going on here so I was thinking about staying, might be good for us. Staying in one place for once."  
Henry frowns before glancing up at his mother "What about Sam?"  
Buffy's eyes widen, she couldn't be that transparent could she "What do you mean?"

"Mom." He sighs before raising the chocolate bar she had brought him in the drug store "You bought me candy at the drug store. You're bribing me which means you wanna talk."  
Buffy groans "We're too alike."  
"Pretty much."

Buffy chuckles before glancing at him "Maybe you're right. And get that smug look off your face, you look way too much like Dawn when you do that."

Henry merely continues to smile smugly before looking over at her "Come on Mom, I remember Angel, you can't just cut off every man for the rest of your life. Plus you know as great as living in hotels are half the time, I like having my own bed. And it wouldn't be the worse thing in the world if there were three of us. Well instead of the 5 the occupy our apartment in London."

Buffy smiles slightly, she was glad that he was alright with the idea of moving into one place and not jumping around anymore...but she wasn't sure if she was.

She takes a deep breath, maybe it was time for her to try "Maybe what happened in my past with Angel and your birth father has kept me from living my life now. Maybe it's time I grow up a little and start looking forward. That we start looking forward."

Henry looks over at her and smirks "So that's a yes? Does that mean I get to learn to use a machete like him? Oh can I drive in his brother's car."  
Buffy freezes, he really had inherited her babbling "Okay, stop. Maybe, no no and no."

"So that's a maybe on the yes." He points out before grinning "How you gonna tell him?"  
Buffy's eyes widen he was jumping to conclusions again and cutting her off before she could argue her case "I didn't..."  
"You could tell him at dinner tonight."

Buffy freezes, they didn't have plans tonight, did they? She panicked for a moment she had a habit of forgetting sometimes "Do I have plans tonight? Henry you're supposed to remind me, you know I'm useless when it comes to this"

Henry laughs slightly before trying to calm his mother "I might have sent him a text from your phone this morning. He's coming over at 8, and I'm spending the night at Dawn's. So the two of you could be alone. Trust me know trying to convince Dawn not to eavesdrop through the security cameras was really difficult, so you owe me."

Buffy was speechless, he really was a crazy genius. As they come to a stop outside the gate to their apartment Henry turns to her, he wanted her to be happy without feeling any guilt about him "It's okay, mom. If your guts telling you to move in with him, trust it."

Buffy places a hand on his shoulder, he could be extremely wise sometimes especially for his age. She smiles at him before frowning "Crap. I forgot to pick something up." She fibs, she didn't want him to see the photos she had had printed, she wanted to keep Henry's father as far away from him as possible and this whole situation "Take this." She says as she hands him the keys "Go start on the game plan to win Dawn's paycheque before she spends it. I'll meet you up there."  
Henry nods before heading through the gate and running up stairs.

Once he was in the building she quickly grabs the prints out of the bag and opens them up.  
However, as her eyes fall on the photo's they widen in shock, this wasn't possible, non of this was possible.

* * *

Buffy strolls through the Slayer building with a dangerous look on her face, the photos in her hand hung loosely beside her as she headed down towards the cells.  
Her heels clicking fiercely as she made her way down the stairs, she was done with games, after seeing these photos she was more confused and curious than ever. This man had answers, answers to questions she didn't even know how to ask.

Slowly she approaches his cell, he was lying on the bed playing with his fake hand, however when he hears her coming he sits up and moves over to the bars "Slayer."

Buffy ignores him before turning to her guards "Leave us."

The women nod at her before lowering their weapons and heading out the exit. Once the metal door was closed behind them Buffy crosses her arms and turns to Hook watching her curiously.

As she stared he was doing the exact same. Her life here was so different, "Your life really is different, Slayer." He says to her "What's with all the guards?"

"They work for me." She tells him as she approaches his cell standing opposite him "This is my organisation. Which means..." Buffy takes one last breath, this was a really terrible idea but her gut was telling her to do it, so slowly she takes a key out of her pocket and unlocks his cell shocking him "I can do this."

Hook stares at the open cell for a brief moment before stepping out of it and moving over to her "Buffy..."  
"Not here." She tells him before walking down the hall, him following after her.

She leads him into her office and closes the door behind her before turning to face him "Hope my girls weren't too rough on you." She pauses "Actually that would be kind of funny."  
Hook chuckles "Let's just say I've been in my fair share of brigs and non as barbaric as that, the force-fed me something called bologna."

Buffy sighs before tossing the photos on the table in front of him and looking at him seriously "What are these?"  
She stares at the photos for a moment, that town, they had never been there before "We never lived in a town called Storybrooke, we went straight from Sunnydale to Scotland and then all over but never a town called Storybrooke."

She shakes her head remembering the tickets she had found as well, none of it was possible yet the evidence was right in front of her "We never took a flight from Boston to New York. None of this happened. How is it here?"

Hook looks at her skeptically she had the proof now, she had to believe him, she had to after everything she had seen she wouldn't throw away evidence like that to a coincidence "So you believe me, then?"  
Buffy shakes her head "I don't know. I've had a lot weird things happen to me but this...they could be fakes...if Henry can use Photoshop to fake a good grade you can use it to do this."

Hook shakes his head in confusion, she kept mentioning things he didn't understand "Photoshopped?"  
"Fake. Not real, ecteria."

Hook shakes his head, there was something she wasn't saying here, if she was so sure none of this was true she wouldn't be here right now "If you think these are forgeries, then why did you release me from your prison."

Buffy shrugs "Well for one, we need the cell space in case Andrew starts filming again and two...I-I..." She pauses finding herself unable to find the words, she just didn't know. She didn't know why she was here.  
Hook sighs and looks at her desperately "Slayer as much as you deny it, deep down you know something's wrong. Deep down, you know I'm right."

Buffy shakes her head, this couldn't be happening and even if it was true and someone had wiped her memory how could she be sure her live before was any better. And when it came to his insistence about her family it scared her, she had loved her mom more than anything, she didn't want anything to tarnish that.

But deep down she knew, something was wrong, something had been taken from her...but she wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

"No. I can't...my life is good, I am happy...I don't want it to be fake." She says sadly as she looks at him, she wished that he would stop and just leave her be.

Hook looks at her sympathetically, he understood where she was coming from, she didn't want to believe that everything she knew was drastically wrong but she needed the truth "Luv, I know you...even though you don't want to know...in your gut you need it. If you drink this, you will know. It will undo the spell."

Buffy stares at the vile in his hands before turning away from him, facing her windows she looks over at the city, water filling her eyes at the idea of being forced to give it all up "If-if..." She stutters finding it difficult to form the words "If I believe you...that a spell was cast on me...I'd have to give up this." She says as she turns to him "My life."

"It's all based on lies."

Buffy shakes her head, he was wrong, this was real, she felt it "You're wrong. This..." She says gesturing to her office "...is real. I am finally doing some good. I have a good life one I have worked like hell to have. I have Henry, a job where people look up to me and trust me...and I have a guy I love."

At that Hook clenches his jaw slightly, to hear her admit that she did in fact love this man crushed him inside and broke his heart, but he wouldn't let her see that "Perhaps there's a man that you love in the life that you've lost." He says hesitantly before looking at her seriously "Regardless, if you want to find the truth, drink up. Do you really want to live a life of lies? You know this isn't right, trust your gut, Slayer. It will tell you what to do."

Buffy's eyes widen at the famaliar phrase "Henry always says that."

"Then, if you won't listen to me, then listen to your boy." Hook points out before holding out the potion towards her again.  
Buffy stares at the potion before glancing back at her desk, pictures lined up along it, one of her and Henry with the gang on her birthday, one the day that she set up the New York office and a picture of her and Faith right after a battle.

It was a good life, one she loved, one she didn't want to give up for anything...but despite all that there was a nagging feeling in her heart telling her that she needed to know the truth. She couldn't spend her life living a lie if others were in danger because of it, and what if there were people that she cared about in this other life who cared about her, it wouldn't be fare to them to just give up.

Sighing she closes her eyes for a brief momemt trying to come to her final descision, taking the potion from his hand she takes one final breath before bringing the glass vial to her lips and swallowing the liquid.

Frowning for a moment as nothing happens she opens her mouth to speak only to gasp as visions begin filling her head.

 _Buffy glances down in confusion at the child on her doorstep "Yeah. Who are you?"  
_ _The boy smiled at her "My name's Henry. I'm your son."_

 _:_

 _As the dragon prepared to attack her Buffy launched the sword at the dragon. The dragon suddenly begun to combust as the sword hit it, it exploded into a pile of dust leaving only the sword and the golden egg in it's wake._

 _:_

 _"I love you, Henry." She whispers before kissing his forehead. Suddenly a burst of magic is released and Buffy leans back in shock, suddenly Henry gasps.  
Buffy gasps as well relieved.  
Henry takes a deep breath a looks over at Buffy "I love you, too. You saved me."_

 _:_

 _"You mean?"_ _  
_ _"Yep. You are the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming."_ _  
_ _Buffy stares at him with wide eyes "Oh."_

 _:_

 _Buffy quickly pulls back and pulls Angel into a passionate kiss after a minute they pull away "It's not enough time." She breathes._ _  
_ _"I know." Angel says sadly "I love you."_ _  
_ _"I love you."_

 _:_

 _Buffy groans as the force of the portal causes the wood to break more it wound't be long before it snapped sending both of them crashing into the portal, huffing she turns back to Neal "You moron! You got shot, you go through that portal and you die. No matter where you land!"_ _  
_ _"No, but, Buffy, Henry needs you. He can't lose both of us. Don't make him grow up like we did."_

 _:_

 _Hook looks at Buffy nervously "It's what the kiss exposed. My secret is, I never thought I'd be capable of letting go of my first love—of my Milah—to believe that I could find someone else. That is until I met you."_

 _:_

 _Snow smiles at her daughter for the finale time, soaking up every inch of her face before she pulls her forward and kisses her forehead.  
_ _Buffy gasps slightly and looks at her mother with tears in her eyes before she takes Henry hand and backs away climbing into the car with others._

Buffy gasps slightly and uses the table to balance herself, it was all too much, from Henry showing up on her doorstep, to the dragon and the Wrath, to her goodbye to Angel and her parents... she clutches her head tightly as the images fill her mind, however, the worst was yet to come.

 _"_ _Now, my dear sweet Buffy, you must learn your place here. You are my star but that doesn't mean you can't be punished." Suddenly a knife appears in Crystal's palm and before Buffy can stop her Crystal shoves the knife into Buffy's gut and twists it "Ahh!" Buffy screams._

 _:_

 _Buffy takes a large gulp of air as her head is finally raised from the tank of water, she coughs up the water that had invaded her lungs and managed to quickly grab another breath before her head is again shoved into the stone cold water._

 _:_

 _Buffy pulls at the chains and tries to move but suddenly she screams and her body shakes violently as a large voltage of electricity hits her._

 _:_

 _Buffy then grabs a fist full of his hair forcing his head back, before he can do anything she brings the blade to his neck and slices his throat.  
Buffy watches as the blood spills from his wound before he crumbles to the ground._

 _:_

 _Buffy swings her leg around kicking him in the gut, she then raises her left leg and kicks the other guard in the back of his knee before kicking his head into the wall crushing his skull._

 _:_

 _The man begins gasping for breath before Buffy violently twists her leg in the other direction when she hears a loud cracking noise she climbs off the guard._

 _:_

 _She decapitates the first guard before driving the scythe into the last guard's stomach, ignoring the blood that had splattered all over her clothes she yanks the scythe out of him kicking him to the ground._

 _:_

 _Her hands with tainted now...they were dripping with blood and a darkness in her had been awoken, one she knew she would now struggle with for the rest of her life.  
_ _She glares down at him for a moment before backing away letting his hand fall to the ground "Goodbye Chris."_

Hook's eyes widen as Buffy groans in pain before beginning to topple, something was wrong this wasn't supposed to be happening. Stepping forward he quickly catches her before she could fall and pushes the hair out her face "Slayer?!" He exclaims as he attempts to wake her from her trapped mind, what had he done?

Suddenly Buffy gasps loudly before looking around the room horrified, she couldn't force the imagines of blood and screaming and death from her mind. She was a killer and a murderer, she had become the one thing she had vowed to protect the world from, a monster.  
A cold emotionless monster, just having these memories back instantly changed her back to the person she was, she could feel herself shutting off, becoming darker.

She blinks slightly onto to realize that she was leant against soft leather, looking up her eyes widen as she spots a famliar face. Stepping back away from him she lets out a small breath "Hook."

Hook smirks slightly, the worry for her still evident in his face "Did you miss me?"

* * *

Enchanted Forest – One Year Ago

Regina continues to stare in shock at the green barrier protecting her castle from them entering, it wasn't possible, someone had taken her home "A protection spell - the entire castle's encircled by it."  
Charming frowns in confusion "Didn't you do this? Undo it."

"Well, don't you think if I could I'd be halfway home by now." She points out as she turns back to face the couple "No. Someone hijacked it."  
"Why?" Snow asks "Who's in it?"

* * *

New York City, United States – Present Day

"Snow and The Queen settled their differences." Hook tells Buffy as he sits in her apartment at the dining table "Frankly, I was bored. I had a life to get back to—a pirate's life."

Buffy nods as she moves around in the kitchen looking for the bottle of bourbon Faith had left here last time she stayed. She sighs slightly, she couldn't be in the headquarters building after remembering everything, it was all so much, she needed to get out of there before the Slayers or Dawn started to ask her questions.

She swollows the lump in her throat before glancing at Hook as she grabs the bottle from the top shelf and grabs two glasses before moving over to him "Nice to see you haven't changed."

Hook looks over at Buffy seriously as he watches her pour their drinks, she hadn't spoken much since she had taken the potion and her silence was deafening, he wanted to know what she was thinking, taking the glass he leant across the table so he could look into her green eyes "There wasn't anything for me in the Enchanted Forest. Why would I stay?"

Buffy's eyes widen at that, she had no idea how to respond to that, she couldn't form words she merely blinked and clinked her glass with his before downing her own drink.

Hook chuckles in amusement as she slams her glass back down before riffling it "All was well...until I got a message, a message saying that there was a new curse and that everyone had been returned to Storybrooke. The message told me that the only hope was you."

Buffy takes a deep breath, she was back where she started, alone in the city confused about where she fit in and then a knock at that door came demanding that she be the person she was.  
She swallows before chuckling slightly, her life had a sick sense of humour "Heavy sense of de-jay-vu right now, seriously this feels like I'm re-reading the same story." She runs a hand through her short blonde hair and looking at him seriously, he had come all the way back here just to protect people, maybe he had changed "You came all the way back here to save my family? I thought you hadn't changed?"

"I came back to save you." He says before downing his drink.

As she pours them both another drink she frowns in confusion, someone had to have brought them all back to this world "Do we know who the big-bad is?"  
Hook shakes his head, the letter had no said who only that Buffy was needed "Someone powerful enough to reach into this world."  
Buffy scoffs "Thank you Captain Obvious."  
"Alas, you're the Saviour, not me."

Buffy groans slightly before downing her drink, she lets the strong liquid go down her throat before sighing, she places a hand on her knee which was shaking, it was like there were two wars in her, the her she had been this year, and then the one who had suffered through all of those horrors, both fighting for dominance and she felt like the latter was winning.

Taking a deep breath she looks up at Hook who was frowning in worry "You know who I was yesterday? A mother, a General...happy. Do you know what I am now?"  
"Slayer..." Hook tries but she cuts him off.

"I'm a murderer. You started poking holes in everything I knew and now, that person is awake, the person who spent months being tortured in San Fransisco, who killed people, God knows how many people with her bare hands. A person who tortured others, whose only thought for years was of vengeance. A person who thinks killing someone is better than looking for the best in them...you woke her up..." Buffy groans trying to reign in all her emotions "Trust me Hook, she was better left buried."

Hook sighs and looks at her kindly, he understood better than anyone what vengeance could do to a person, he had seen it within himself, and to spend so long not remembering that darkness only to have it reawakened, it was difficult, that alur of darkness, the one she was struggling with, trying to keep from just switching herself off again "You still have your son. And your friends."

Buffy sighs as she remembers that, how in the hell was she supposed to tell her sister that she was adopted all over again, the first time had been difficult enough "How am I supposed to explain all this to him. I'm different now, Henry's gonna see it."

"Alas, I could only scavenge together enough for one dose of memory potion."

Buffy thinks for a moment remembering something Willow had told her on their way out of Storybrooke last year, she had told her something she hadn't understood at the time but now...it was clear, she could bring back everyone else's memories but...Henry that magic...only magic from the Enchanted Forest could reverse that.

"I can deal with my friends but...Henry...I need to start figuring out what I'm gonna tell him."

Suddenly the gate bell goes off causing both Hook and Buffy's heads to shoot in the direction of the door. Slowly a look of misery covers Buffy's face, Sam was here, hoping for an answer to his question.|  
"Who's that?" Hook asks curiously.  
"Sam." She takes a deep breath before moving to stand "Henry invited him."

Hook instantly moves, hoping to get rid of the other man "I could get rid of him." He says too eager.

"No." Buffy tells him "Sit your pirate ass back down. The girl he fell in love with may be dead but he doesn't know that. The past six months have been real, even if it wasn't the real me...that me died when I was 23." She sighs before standing, she knew what she had to do but it was majorly going to suck "I owe him an explanation."

As she heads for the door Hook rubs a hand over his stubble "What are you going to say to him?"  
Buffy exhales as she turns back to the pirate "I don't know." She says honestly "He may be demon hunter but...this world is too much for even me to believe. And I care about him too much to drag him into this world, he has brother out there who needs him." Buffy sighs before looking at Hook seriously "Wait here."

Hook watches her leave the apartment in misery before he spots the bottle of bourbon still on the table grabbing it he refills his glass again.

* * *

"Sorry, you know me and cleaning, a big no no." Buffy tells Sam as she leads him onto the roof, this would be better than having Hook just smirking and making smart ass comments as she tried to end things with a cute guy, who cares about her.  
Sam chuckles "Buffy, it's okay to make a bold romantic gesture without passing it off as a housekeeping malfunction."  
Buffy frowns for a brief second "You do remember what happened last time you went into my apartment, right?"  
Sam thinks for a moment before visible groaning in disgust "Fair point."

Buffy smiles slightly before looking at him sadly, she hates this, hates that she had to give this up, but it was the right thing "Sam...I...I can't move in with you."  
Sam nods sadly, he should have expected it, he knew who she was and what she was like when things moved to fast "It's too soon, huh?"  
"It's not that. I can't move to New York."

Sam frowns in confusion "What do you mean?"  
"I have a mission, one personal to me...that only I can do."  
"Then I'll go with you." Sam tells her, they didn't have to end this, they had worked together plenty of times before, why was this mission so different.  
Buffy shakes her head "You can't. Sam...this mission it's too much. Too many complications, but I have to go my family needs me."

Sam frowns in confusion non of this was making any sense "What do you mean? What is so different? And you're family, your sister is here and your friends are in London, you told me the rest of your family is dead."  
"I wasn't lying." Buffy promises him as she looks at him desperately, she didn't want to hurt him but she needed to do this "I'm adopted Sam. And my birth parents are in trouble...of the magical kind, so I need to go."  
"Why now?" He asks her.  
Buffy sighs trying to think of how to describe Hook showing up "Someone from my past showed up, told me they need help."  
Sam's eyes widen as he quickly comes to conclusions "Henry's father? Another ex?"

Buffy suddenly laughs really loudly "He...no...God no..." She takes a deep breath calming herself before looking at him seriously "A pain in my ass."  
Sam crosses his arms he didn't like this, any of it "Okay, so that's how I'm supposed to sleep at night? You trading me in for a pain in the ass?"

Buffy looks at him sadly, she was hurting him and it killed her "I don't want to make this choice, I wanna stay here but I can't...there is a whole other side of me. One you wouldn't like..." As she speaks water fills her eyes, this was killing her inside "...I need to go. Even if I don't want to."

Sam steps forward and cups her cheeks in his hands "Buffy, if you love this life, then keep it. Stay...or let me come with you. We can fight anything together."

Buffy closes her eyes and slowly shuts off her emotions one by one, building up those walls again "I have to go. Alone. I wish...I wish that I could explain, but I can't. Not now."

Sam sighs and releases her before backing away "I really wish you hadn't have drunk that potion."  
Buffy's eyes widen at that, no, no, no, this couldn't be happening, not again. But she could see it in his eyes, he had played her, the whole time.

Suddenly he tosses a chair across the roof in fury "You just couldn't leave well enough alone." Slowly he turns to face her "It's too bad, I actually kind of liked you."

Buffy's quickly reaches for the knife that she kept around her thigh just under her skirt and turns to him just as his fangs drop and his eyes turn blood red, "That's different." She breaths before leaping to the side as he runs at her.

Buffy quickly stands back up as he goes over the edge of the roof, she was getting really sick of all her boyfriends trying to kill her. She looks over the edge of the roof only to spot what looked like some weird ass monkey creature with wings flying up at her.

As it leaps back onto the the roof she glares at it, she throws her knife at watching as it buried itself in the creatures neck before she ran over and grabbed it from behind.  
"This side of me...has no problem killing her boyfriend." She hisses before snapping the creatures neck with her hands and letting it drop to the ground.  
Breathing heavily she stares at the body as it slowly descends into dust leaving nothing there.

Slowly she runs a hand through her hair, that was three boyfriends that had tried to kill her now "I really should have joined a nunnery."

"Slayer!" Hook exclaims as he suddenly runs out onto the roof after hearing the commotion from where he had been eavesdropping "What the blazes was that?"

"You're a little late to the party." Buffy tells him as she taps the dust off her hands before frowning, how had he heard all of that from her apartment "Were you eavesdropping?"  
"No."  
"Hook."  
"Possibly."

Buffy rolls her eyes, before sighing and pointing at the dust in front of her "That would be boyfriend number 3 in the ever growing list of men who have tried to kill me." She shakes her head "I should have realised after everything I've done...all the bad...my karma is too shot to hell for happiness."

She shakes her head before moving past Hook, there was one more thing she needed to do before she headed out "We leave in the morning. But right now...I need to make a call."

* * *

Buffy slams the front door behind her before leaning against it, her breathing was going nuts, she felt like she was going to explode, why did this keep happening to her, her life just kept falling apart piece by piece time after time.

Suddenly an anger fills her, an anger that had been buried for over a year, she clutches onto her hair before screaming loudly, she screams allowing her frustrations out and once she was done she felt slightly relieved. That was until she realized that her hand was in the wall beside her.

She groans before carefulling pulling her hand out and wincing at the sight of the blood, she makes her way into the kitchen running her hand under the water.

Buffy stands there motionless as she watches her blood roll down the drain, she runs a hand through her hair before closing her eyes, she could see them, every face of every person she had killed. Clenching her jaw she takes a shaky breath, she was a killer all over again, she should have known that she could have never escaped her past.

Sighing she opens her eyes and runs her hand through her hair once more before grabbing a bandage off the table. As she bandages up her hand she calls Willow.

" _Heya Buffy."_ Willow answers cheerfully _"How's New York? Oh when are you coming back I found a book in the library Henry would love and—"  
_ "The Storybook is real." Buffy says as she cuts off the witch "You told me to say that to you if someone ever showed up saying weird things...you said that that would trigger your memory."

Buffy waits as she hears Willow gasp before breathing heavily, waiting patiently she lets her friend adjust to having her memories back before finally she speaks again _"Buffy?"  
_ Buffy sighs "I remember. Hook showed up."  
 _"_ _Does this mean..."  
_ "I'm leaving." Buffy finishes hating that she had to do this "Give everyone their memories back, I'm heading back to Storybrooke tomorrow and I don't want anyone to worry."  
 _"_ _Buffy..."_ Willow says sadly her heartbreaking at the fact that she was losing her best friend again _"What about Sam?"_

"Dead." Buffy says flatly "He tried to kill me, I beat him to the punch." As she speaks she realises how much she sounded like her old self, the person she was before she met Henry, and that scared her, she was scared of that person in her.

Before Willow could say anything else Buffy takes a deep breath, she could hear the sympathy in Willow's voice but she couldn't handle that right now "You and Xander need to take over the company for now. Call me with updates but right now I need to go save them."  
 _"_ _Of course. Buffy, I'm so sorry."_

"It fine." Buffy tells her "I love you Will." She says softly feeling strange as she said it, the words leaving her lips felt odd.  
 _"_ _You too Buffy. If you need us, we will be there."_

* * *

The next morning after spending an hour trying to get Dawn out of her apartment because she was refusing to leave and demanding that she go with them to Storybrooke Buffy was exhausted, Dawn had been very angry about the fact that she had said she couldn't come, but she didn't want her sister to have to give up school and her life here.

But finally she had managed to get her reluctant sister to agree to leave and now here the Slayer stood staring at herself in her bedroom, wearing her red leather trousers and a black silk vest. It had been so long since she had doned her leather gear, which Henry had dubbed her back to Slayage outfit.

She sighs before moving into the living room where Henry was still sat, they hadn't spoken much since he had gotten home.  
As she walks into the room Henry frowns at the sight of his mother "Mom, why are you wearing that?" He asks curiously, she hasn't worn those since she had become the CEO of the Slayer's Organisation.

Buffy pauses before reaching into the fridge and grabbing a juice tossing him one as well "I have mission coming up. One with more field work than I've done in a long time."  
Henry frowns in confusion before looking at her seriously, she hasn't taken serious fieldwork in a long time, and if she did it was very rare, she never wanted to risk not coming home "What about the council?"  
Buffy shrugs "I can CEO from anywhere, especially with a COO as good as Willow."

Henry frowns, there was too it than that, he could feel it there was something she wasn't saying "Is this about Sam? Are you sure you made the right decision?"

Buffy's eyes widen for a moment that familiar anger filling her for a brief moment before she shakes her head and smiles "No. I made the right decision. But um...it's just gonna be the two of us for a while."  
"What about Dawn?"  
Buffy pauses "Actually she's staying here." She says as she leans against the kitchen counter.

Henry frowns in disappointment, that meant that they weren't staying, that they were jumping around again "So were not staying in New York?"

Buffy steps forward and leans on the counter so she could look at her son "Actually I have a field one only I can do and it's in Maine, and I think we could both use a vacation."  
Henry arches a brow "So no School?"  
"Nope."  
"Seriously?"  
Buffy smiles "Yep Kid, no school."  
Henry smiles slightly "Sounds like awesome. So what's the job, demon, vamp, warlock..."

Buffy pauses trying to find a way to explain something she wasn't even sure of "Actually something magical. Don't know what yet. So a lot of detective work for us."  
Henry smiles, he loves doing all the detective stuff with her "When do we leave?"  
"Now. I packed all your books and clothes. So we're ready."

Suddenly a loud knock comes from the front door, Henry frowns he didn't know that they were expecting someone, maybe it was Dawn again "Is that Dawn?"  
Buffy groans slightly "No. It's really not."

* * *

Buffy opens the door and immediately spot Hook stood leaning against the wall opposite her door with a smirk on his face.  
As the door opens he stands properly and strolls casually into her apartment "You ready, Slayer? Nice to see you lowered that little shield, worried you were gonna change your mind."

Buffy's eyes widen as he just strolls in looking was too comfortable here "You're way too comfortable." She says as she closes the door and walks after him, she really wasn't sure how the hell she was supposed to explain the presence of Captain Hook to Henry.

As her thoughts plague her she notices something, he looked extremely well rested, "Where did you even sleep?"  
Hook smirks and waggles his eyebrows at her "Wouldn't you like to know, Slayer."

Buffy groans before quickly running ahead of Hook just as they walk into the kitchen. She slaps Hook's chest "Subtle." She hisses before turning to her son "Henry...this is Killian. He's—I'm, um, he's my contact for this new missions, he's liasoning with the company."

Henry looks Hook up and down before glancing at his mother "Is he a demon?"  
Buffy chuckles "No."  
"You sure?" Henry asks before turning back to Hook "A vampire?"  
"Again no."  
Henry frowns in confusion "Then why is he dressed like that?"

Hook's eyes widen in shock, he was insulted now "Why are you dressed like that?" He counters like a child making Buffy roll her eyes, great this was going to be a long and fun drive—not.

"Killian, bags, you like to be useful right, go carry them." She says before moving towards her bedroom "Henry lend him a hand."  
Henry frowns in confusion, he hadn't thought she was actually serious "Wait we're really going? What about Faith? And Xander? And backup?"  
"Just us kid." Buffy tells him before moving into her room "There's just one more last thing."

* * *

Buffy walks into her room and opens her closet, hidden along with the many leather jackets there it was, her waist length black leather jacket, that had been there from the beginning

Grabbing it she slowly slips it on before glancing in the mirror "Back to work."

* * *

As she drives through the streets of Storybrooke once again Buffy couldn't help but stare, it was really back, and exactly the same, nothing was different, it was like it had never been gone with to begin with.  
Honestly it was a little freaky.

Pulling over the car she climbs out and merely stands there staring, this was insane "Did it even go?" She couldn't help but ask as she continued to stare at the small town.  
Hook circles the car before coming to stand beside her "Believe me luv, it was gone."

Buffy sighs before groaning slightly "Oh God I'm really back here. That's it changed my mind." She jokes and moves to get back into the car only to have Hook grab her wrist "Slayer."  
Buffy rolls her eyes and raises her hands in defence "Kidding."  
Hook chuckles before glancing at the Slayer "As quaint and homey as you remember?"  
"As Sunnydale.2 as a I remember...off and cursed. And retro, seriously still stuck in 70's here."

Hook smiles before reaching into his pocket and retrieving his hook, removing his fake hand he smiles as he places the hook back on his wrist "That's more like it, isn't it Slayer?" He says with a smirk as he uses the hook to move her now short hair out of her face.

Buffy merely rolls her eyes before glancing over at henry who was still asleep in the backseat "You are so lucky his uncle wear an eyepatch otherwise I would kill you for making me have that conversation with him."

When Hook merely smirks at her the blonde crosses her arms before glancing around the town, something was different she could feel it "Okay so we know what curse number one did. What did this one do? And if it involves flying cows I'm out."  
"We don't know what it did." Hook tells her, when it came to this curse he was just as clueless as her, all he had had to do was avoid it.

Buffy sighs, time to get to work "I'll go find out. Stay here and watch Henry. Don't wake him...otherwise you can deal with a 12 year old with more energy than a kangaroo."  
As she begins heading down Maine Street Hook watches her in confusion "Where are you going?"  
Buffy turns back to face him as she continues walking "To talk to my parents."

* * *

Buffy stands outside her and Mary Margaret's old apartment for several minutes trying to summon the courage to knock. She was nervous to say the least, what if they didn't remember her, what if something horrible had happened to one of them.  
She takes a shaky breath before raising her hand towards the door, despite her fears she knew she had to do this, they were her family.

Knocking on the door three times she waits nervously, suddenly the door opens and standing there with wide eyes as he stared at her was David.  
When he doesn't speak Buffy panics, he didn't remember her "Don't close the door. I'm not some random crazy. My name...my name is..."  
"Buffy." He breaths as he stares at his daughter in shock, she was here, she was okay.  
"David?" Buffy asks stunned, she had momentarily thought that he was going to be a completely different person.

He nods and the two step forward and hug, David closes his eyes as he hugs his daughter tightly, she was here, she was actually here and he couldn't have been happier.  
"You remember?" He asks stunned, last he had seen her, her memories of them all had been wiped.

Buffy lets out a relieved breath "Yeah. I'm a regular recover from amnesia girl but...you...you remember."  
"Of course. What—" He quickly leads her into the living room so they could speak, he was so confused "what are you doing here?"  
"Well, Hook found me. I was in New York for a couple days and he showed up at my company apartment."  
David opens his mouth to speak only to frown at that "Company?"

"Oh. Yeah." Buffy says realising he wasn't aware of that "Long story short, I run the Watcher's Council well Slayer's Organisation now. But more about that later...trust me I got some stories from the past year but..." She shakes her head she was still so confused "He said you were cursed. But you don't seem cursed."

"Yeah." David says still confused himself about the whole situation "We're back or we never left, or—well, we don't know, but we're trapped again."  
Buffy nods "Well you know who you are. Which is good."  
David sighs, despite that they were clueless, they had no idea what had happened "Buffy, all we know is that our last year—it's been wiped away."

Buffy groans and runs a hand through her short hair "Oh my God. What is it with this town and memory lose. Is it a gag or something."  
David sighs, she was right on one hand, it seemed like they were going to continue losing their memories till the end of time "Buffy all we remember is saying goodbye to you. It feels like yesterday." He tells her the heartbroken expression on his face the same from one year ago, it really had only been hours for him since he had lost his daughter for the second time.

Buffy shakes her head, none of this made sense, if they didn't remember then how in the hell did they know they've been gone a year "Here's what I'm not getting, how do you know it's been a year, I mean that's not—"

"Buffy!" A voice breaths from upstairs, Buffy turns her head only to spot her mother running down the stares towards her "Buffy."  
As she sees her mother Buffy's eyes widen at what was before her, before she could say anything Snow yanked her into a hug before looking at her "Your hair."  
"Yeah." Buffy says still in shock "Not the biggest change though."  
Snow smiles before moving over to David who nods "You're right that. A lot's happened."

Buffy lets out a breath before looking down at her mother's swollen stomach, she was pregnant, which meant Buffy was going to be a big sister again. Oh God.  
Buffy's eyes widen "Huh, another sibling. Please don't have a girl, I can't deal with another sister. I'll lose my hair."

Snow chuckles as does David but slowly Buffy shakes her head "Sorry babble brain. So you're whole year is gone? Who the hell would have done this?"  
"We don't know." Snow tells her "We don't know anything."


	67. Witch Hunt - Part 1

Several Years Ago – San Fransisco

Buffy groans as she uses the walls on the street stores to keep herself up right as she makes her way anywhere, she just needed to get as far away from that place as possible.

Suddenly as she takes another step on the pavement a seering pain shoots up her leg causing her to cry out, she graps her leg and leans against the wall, blood was pouring down her leg and she swore she could see bone.

Resting her head against the wall for a moment she rips the top of her vest turning the once white vest, which was now a horrid grey into a crop top, gritting her teeth she wraps the tore piece of cloth around her leg trying not to cry in agony as she does.

She takes a shaky breath and grasps her ribs, four of them were broken and as she pulled her hand away she spotted the blood, she sighs, she couldn't be sure where it was coming from, there were too many injuries, too much blood.

After another moment she continues to limp grasping a green trench coat that was hanging up outside one of the stores as she does, she pulls it on and quickly carries on her path. As she walks she grabs more things, including a baseball cap, a large rucksack, quickly slipping the scythe inside she continues to make her way forwards until finally a small sense of relief fills her. There on the corner was a phone-booth, it looked ancient but she didn't care, she needed to get out of here, it wouldn't be long before Crystal and her men came after her and she needed help.

Moving as quick as she can without drawing attention to herself...well anymore than a limping blood covered tranch coat wearing 5 foot 4 blonde could draw, she makes her way to the phonebox.

The moment she reaches it she yanks the door opening shattering the glass door as she slams it shut behind her, but she couldn't care less now, no one had even battered an eye, the streets were too packed with people going about their own business.

Grabbing onto the phone she dials a familiar number, despite not having dialled it in god knows how long, time had blending together down there, but she still the number off by heart.

 _"_ _What!"_ A grumbled and clearly hangover voice answers.  
"Faith, it's me."  
Buffy listens as what seemed to be Faith literally dropping her phone in shock before scrambling to pick it up _"B?"_ She asks, Buffy could literally hear the uncertainty in her voice.  
"Yeah. It's me."

 _"_ _B, I've been calling you for months, you were supposed to check in with me six months ago—"  
_ "Faith!" Buffy hisses harshly she didn't have time to explain, Crystal would find her and drag her back down there "Look I don't have time. I need your help. I'm hurt...badly."  
 _"_ _Yeah...um...I'll have one of my witches send me to you, B...what happened?"_

Buffy's eyes glaze over in fury as she remembers the blood and the fighting and the torture over and over again "A lot."

* * *

One-Year Ago – Enchanted Forest

The group continue to make their track towards the safe land that Robin Hood had informed them about. As they all walk together united a screeching noise causes the group to pause, all of them gasping in shock as the creature that had attacked Snow and Regina was flying towards them finally allowing them a proper look at the creature. From what they could see...it actually looked like a flying monkey.

As the creature flies towards them Regina's eyes widen as she spots it heading straight towards the five year old boy, Robin's son. As though it was her motherly instinct yelling at her she runs forward just as the young boy screams for his father.

"Roland!" Robin exclaims in horror as he attempts to save him only for Regina to beat him to it as she lifts the child into her arms and away from the creature's reach.

Once she was sure he was save she turns to face the creature angrily as it speeds towards her "Not so fast." She hisses waving her hand transforming the creature into nothing more than a stuffed toy for the poor boy that had been traumatised.

* * *

Present Day – Storybrooke, Maine

Buffy grunts angrily as her fists continue to fly at the punching bag one after the other, she continues to throw punch after punch not slowing for even a beat. It was as if she had no control anymore, all she knew was that she wanted to inflict damage to something...anything.

Better her own fists and a punching bag than a person's face.

She grunts again as she throws a spinning kick at the bag causing it to sway violently at the strength of her hit, she wanted to stop but she couldn't as with every hit images filled her mind. Images of all the pain and blood, the screaming, the death. All those memories of her hell flashing through her mind as she continued to pound on the bag in front of her.

"Don't stop on my account." A voice says from the doorway causing Buffy to taking a large breath as she pulls her fist away from the bag and leans her head against the leatger for a moment, her breath coming out in pants.

After a long moment of composing herself she turns her head to stop Hook standing at the doorway of her room in Granny's, watching her with a worried frown.

"I won't." She breaths out before turning back to the bag and sending another punch at it causing it to sway as the sound of the hit filled the room.

Hook chuckles slightly before watching as she continued to pound on the heavy bag, he could see the conflict in her eyes, the memories of what she had done swimming through her mind, still so fresh. He clenches his jaw slightly he understood where that rage was coming from, he himself had struggled with it for centuries.

"What do you want?" Buffy asks finally cutting through the silence "I'm not exactly open for the whole chit-chat thing right now...peppy Buffy is kind of out of the building right now."  
Hook smiles slightly before it finally occurs to him that the stunning blonde Slayer was stood in front of him in a sport's bra leaving her entire stomach in view.

He couldn't help but linger for a moment as he takes in her curves, however the blonde clearly notices him staring.

Buffy rolls her eyes as she catches where Hook's gazing had been drawn, she really did not have time to do this, grabbing her tank top off the bed she pulls it over her head before typing her hair up in a ponytail as she dabbed her sweaty face with a towel "Going again for round number two...what do you want?"  
Hook sighs "They're here."

Buffy groans slightly before throwing the towel on the bed and moving towards the door "Time to work."

* * *

"Henry's asleep." Buffy tells David and Mary Margaret as she climbs down the stairs still unwrapping her hands, with Hook following close behind her "If he wakes up then um..." Buffy pauses momentarily trying to figure out exactly what to tell him "Tell him your helping me with info. He'll believe that, normally we go see Willy so this will work."

Snow and David both nod as they turn to face the blonde who was sitting on the couch across from Snow who was stroking her baby bump.  
Buffy glances over at her parents and runs a hand through her still sweaty hair "So other than the jump to ready to pop..." She says gesturing to her mother's belly "...what the hell happened?"

"We don't know." Snow says honestly the memories of losing her daughter all over again still fresh in her mind "We watched you drive over the town line with Henry. Regina started to cast her spell..."  
Buffy nods "Yeah Willow did the same. It's why Xander, Faith and Dawn had different memories."

David sighs turning to his daughter as he stood behind his wife's chair "Yeah except we didn't get new memories. There was nothing. Just darkness. The next thing we remember is waking up in our beds like it was any other morning in Storybrooke."

"Except it...clearly wasn't." Snow says with a small chuckle as she gestures again to her future child, the reality of the situation still having not hit her, she was about to have another child and it terrified her.

Hook who was stood to the left of Buffy smirks slightly as he glances at David "Almost harvest time, but you can't remember the planting. That's bad luck, mate."  
Buffy rolls her eyes "Hook, shut your mouth." She says in frustration, she had had to deal with his sarcasm and crude comments the whole trip from New York she was starting to loose her patience with the Pirate.

Rubbing her hands against her knees she stands finding herself unable to sit down any longer, she needed to keep moving as she processed all this.  
"Okay so clearly a year has passed. I was in London working, playing dress up as CEO...which to be fair pays a lot...like you guys should see my penthouse—"

Buffy pauses when all three of them give her blank looks...okay maybe now wasn't the best time for this.  
"Sorry." She mumbles trying to get back on track "Look a year has gone past. Trust me."

David smiles slightly at his daughter, he was truely curious to find out what she had been up to for the past year, clearly she had finally stepped up and completely excepted her role as a leader just like he thought she could do.

Shaking his head he focuses there would be plenty of time for them to ask about her life this past year but right now they needed to figure out who took their memories "We don't know where the hell we were. We don't even know if we left Storybrooke."

"Aye, you did." Hook says as he finally rejoins the conversation this time without any comments that would make everyone in the room want to slap him. "I was with you all." He continues drawing the prince's attention.  
Snow's eyes widen "In the Enchanted Forest?"

Hook nods confirming the princess's thoughts "Regina's spell brought us back. We spent a brief time with a prince and princess named Phillip and Aurora. But I wasn't feeling the community spirit, so I ventured off on my own. Last I saw of you lot, you were making your way to Regina's castle."

Buffy sighs letting out a long breath as she leans against the wall, this was a lot to take in from getting her memories back which included memories she had been hoping would stay buried, it was taking a lot for her to stay calm at the moment. Every second she felt like she was just going to break down into a full on panic attack.

Clenching jer jaw she focuses, she had to focus her family needed her, her company needed her, her girls...she needed to hold on for them.  
"Okay so now we are re-playing the whole cursed no memory gag. Seriously is anything gonna surprise me again?" Buffy pauses as a thought about who could have possibly done this comes to her head "What about Regina?"  
Snow shakes her head "Regina seems as clueless as the rest of us. I'm not sure she was involved in this."

Buffy nods choosing not to speak, last time everyone had suspected Regina of something it had been her who had defended her, which had turned out to be a bad idea.

"I don't understand." David says drawing the blonde's attention as he faces Hook "If you left the Enchanted Forest before the curse, how did you know to find Buffy and come to Storybrooke?"  
Buffy frowns cursing herself for not asking him that sooner "That's a good point. Get with the who-when and how please." She asks as she faces Hook who honestly looked like a deer in the headlights about now.

Hook glances over at the blonde holding her gaze for a moment before explaining "As I was sailing the realms, a bird landed on my ship's wheel with a note instructing me to retrieve Buffy and bring her back here."  
Buffy chuckles slightly "This will be the one time that killing the messenger actually applies."

When both Charming and Snow glare at her Buffy rolls her eyes before nodding at Hook to continue "Ignore my homicidal tendencies...I'm a work in progress."  
Hook shakes his head in amusement before continuing with his tale "There was a small vial of memory potion tied to its leg."  
"Who sent it?" Snow asks curiously.  
"I assumed you did."

Buffy gulps slightly "Can I take back my kill the messenger joke."  
"Bit late luv."  
Buffy glares at him "Wouldn't have said it if I had a warning."  
"How was I supposed to know you'd make murder jokes, pet?"  
"Have you met me?" She asks causing him to open his mouth before closing it, he couldn't argue with that she did make those jokes very often.

Buffy sighs before glancing over at her parents just as David turns to his wife "Message via bird—that does sound like you." He says to Snow.

Before anyone else could speak the front door opens and immediately Buffy groans at the site of Leroy and Dopey "Geez who died?"  
When Leroy gives her an unamused face Buffy's eyes widen "Oh God who died?" She asks this time dead serious...seriously could this town go one day without a death or a magically attack.

Leroy sighs before facing Buffy "Good thing your back, sister. We got Dwarfs missing. We're down to five."

"Four." Dopey says from behind Leroy "Bashfull's not answering." He sighs sadly as he turns his phone off before turning to Buffy.  
Buffy frowns, something more was going on here she crosses her arms and turns to her mother hoping for an explanation.

"It's not just our memories that are missing." Snow admits "Ever since we woke up, people have begun disappearing."  
Leroy nods and focuses on Buffy "Whoever cursed us is picking us off one by one."  
Buffy clenches her jaw running a hand over her head as she thinks, "How many?"  
"We're not sure." David says from behind her "There's been a lot of confusion over the past few days."

"You could say that again." Buffy mumbles as she tries to come up with a plan however suddenly a thought comes to her, one that could really complicate her sistuation "Neal." She says emotionlessly "Has he turned up."

Hook who had been glancing over out the window turns to the blonde, a look of jealousy instantly filling his face but he quickly buries it as Snow speaks.

"Well, we haven't found him yet." Snow tells her but Buffy merely shrugs "Great..." She mumbles under her breath "...nothing is ever simple in this town. Why can't we just sit down and have a scone like a normal person..." The blonde freezes and groans slightly "God I've been living in the UK too long."

Hook smiles sadly at the blonde "Despite your distaste that was one of the few times I completely understood you..." he pauses looking away from her and out the window again "He'll turn up Slayer. He always does."

Buffy scoffs, it was true, she cared for Neal she did but sometimes he was like a bad fungus, he just popped up out of nowhere.

"Some folks are starting to set up camp in the woods." David says drawing the blonde's attention away from the pirate "At the edge of town. Neal might be there."  
"Or..." Snow says softly "...he may not have gotten swept up in the curse at all."

Buffy nods honestly Neal was on the back of her mind at the moment she needed to figure out what was going on with this town, she had a life and a business that she needed to get back to and she couldn't do that till she was sure everyone here was safe.

"Okay." She says as she clicks her fingers together "Well we can't do anything till you guys get your memories back. So I guess that's step one."  
"How are we going to do that?" Snow asks curiously.  
Buffy smirks slightly "We figure out who took them."

* * *

One Year Ago – Enchanted Forest

"There's only one land that has creatures like that." Belle informs the group as they discuss the problems they were facing with the threat of the flying monkeys "I've read about it. Oz."  
Snow arches a brow in disbelief "Oz? That's a real place?" She asks unconvinced, for once completely understand Buffy and her friend's reactions to meeting all of them.

Regina nods "The bookworm's right." She says earning a small glare from Belle "It's quite real. And if our simian friend is any indication, then I think we know exactly who's taking up residence in our castle. The Wicked Witch."  
Leroy frowns "We talking East or West?"

* * *

Present Day – Our World

"Here you go, Hen—" Ruby freezes as she places the hot chocolate in front of Henry at the diner she glances over at Buffy and groans slightly "—young man. A...nice hot cocoa." She quickly corrects herself before moving a away.  
"Hey." Henry says drawing her attention "With cinnamon. How did you know?"  
Ruby glances over at Buffy in a panic but the blonde merely shrugs "Uh, lucky guess. You've got a cinnamon kind of face."

Buffy shakes her head in amusement before turning to her son who was watching her curiously "What?" She asks noticing him staring.  
Henry shrugs before raising the cup "Nothing...I just kind of prefer the Zoo. You know that Coffee Club in London."

Buffy arches a brow "You've never been..." Her eyes widen before she groans "Faith." She hisses before slamming her head on the table, of course Faith had taken him there "I swear she is never watching you again."  
Henry chuckles "She's pretty cool. Don't stab her again."

Buffy glares at him slightly before taking the hot chocolate out of his palm and drinking from it "Don't tempt me."  
Henry laughs before taking back his drink and placing it down, as he does the bell of the door goes off drawing Buffy's attention.

Buffy smiles tightly as she spots David and Mary Margaret walking through the door "Kid, this is David and Mary Margaret." She says as they walk over to their table.  
Snow and David smile happily at the young boy while Henry merely turns to his mom "They don't look evil."  
Buffy's eyes widen "They're not."  
"You sure? Remember the Mayor?"  
Buffy groans slightly before nodding her head "Do you ever listen to me?"

"Rarely." He sasses back before turning back to the couple who were still staring at him "So you guys are helping my mom with the field mission?" Henry pauses for a moment as a thought occurs to him he leans over to his mom "Or are they demons?" He whispers knowing his mother had often used demons for information such as Clem.

Buffy chuckles nervously before shaking her head "They are perfectly nor—" The blonde pauses maybe normal wasn't the right word "Human. Perfectly human."  
She stands slightly "They're old friends." She says smiling at her parents as she spotted the defeated looks on their faces by the fact that their own grandson had thought they were demons.

Henry arches a brow before glancing over at the couple "Friends? From where?"  
"L.A." David and Buffy say at the same time causing Buffy to smirk at her father who shakes his head in amusement.  
Henry's eyes widen for a moment "L.A? So they know about..."  
"Yep." Buffy finishes for him "They know all about that...environment."

Buffy pauses before glancing over at her parents she glares at them slightly when they both so silent.

Finally getting her point Snow nods "Right...um...we we're in high school together there."  
"Really?" Henry asks curiously, his mom never really spoke much about her life before Sunnydale and before he was born "So you were there when mom burnt down the gym?"

Snow and David both glance over at Buffy at the same time looks of disapproval written all over their faces causing her to roll her eyes "Thanks for the reminder, kid."  
"Sorry." He mumbles as the three adults move to sit around the table.  
"It was never proven." Buffy mumbles under her breath causing Henry to roll his eyes this time looking way too much like her when he does "Stop blaming the mice."  
"It was the mice!" She argues before leaning back in her chair.

Snow chuckles in amusement as she glances in-between her daughter and her grandson, it seemed as though in the short time of one year Henry had really started to show more of his Summers genes, the sass and banter clearly the strongest of them.

"We all make mistakes..." When Buffy glares at her Snow shakes her head "Not that Buffy did. It could have been mice but...the important thing is...to find a way to keep moving on."

Before anyone else can speak another word Buffy's phone rings and instantly Henry jumps in his seat overwhelmed with excitment "Is that Willow? Xander? Oh...is this about the meeting in New York or about the break in you and Faith did or..."

"Henry! Breath!" Buffy exclaims causing the boy who was now slightly out of breath to stop and finally take a breath before grabbing one of the Watcher's books out of his bag in preparation.

She shakes her head in amusement "Settle down Potter." Buffy glances down at her phone before sighing "It's Ron Burgundy."  
Henry groans "Oh Kennedy."

"Yeah." She mutters the same annoyance in her voice that her son had used. "I'll be back in a minute." She says before climbing over the booth, once her feet land on the floor she quickly walks to the back of the cafe before answering "What's up Kennedy?"

As his mom disappears around the corner Henry sighs before glancing at the two other adults awkwardly. He sighs wishing his mother had let him come with him to talk to Kennedy, she may be annoying but it was better than this awkward silence.  
David laughs lightly "Maybe we should order."

Henry gives him a tight smile before placing the book Giles had left for him back in his lap and moving to grab a menu, however the sound of glass shattering makes him pause.  
He looks up only to spot a raven haired woman staring at them in shock as the mug she had been holding lay broken at her feet.


End file.
